Operating instructions

315
Spine
Hints in General
• Topogram: Lateral,
512 mm for thoracic and lumbar spine and 256 mm
for the c-spine.
• Patient positioning for thoracic and lumbar spine
studies:
Patient lying in supine position, arms positioned
comfortably above the head in the head-arm rest,
lower legs supported.
• Patient positioning for cervical spine studies:
Patient lying in supine position, hyperextend neck
slightly, secure head well in head cradle.
• Patient respiratory instruction:
do not breathe, do not swallow.
Any possible injuries to the spinal column should
be determined before beginning the examination and
taken into account when repositioning the patient.
• In case of 3D study only, images should be recon-
structed with at least 50% overlapping and kernel B10.
• For lumbar studies, place a cushion under the
patients knees. This will reduce the curve in the spine
and also make the patient more comfortable.
• For image reconstruction of bone study, use kernel
B60.
• The CT scan following myelography must be per-
formed within 4-6 hours of the injection, otherwise,
the contrast density in the spinal canal will be too
high to obtain artifact-free images. Also, if possible,
it is a good idea to roll the patient once, or scan in
a prone position. This will prevent the contrast from
pooling posterior to the spinal cord. If a prone scan is
performed, breathing instructions are recommended
to avoid motion artifact in axial source and MPR
images.
• With CAREDose 4D the mA values are adapted for
each osteo range, according to the patient diameter.
Therefore special obese protocols for the osteo and
spine evaluation are not longer necessary.