CT Scan in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is a CT scan?
A CT scan is an imaging test that takes a series of X-ray images from many angles as you pass through a ring-shaped scanner. A computer combines them into thin slices, like the pages of a book, which can be viewed one by one or rebuilt into three-dimensional pictures. This lets the radiologist look at bones, organs, blood vessels and soft tissue layer by layer, rather than as the single flat shadow a plain X-ray produces.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, CT scans are performed by radiographers and reported by a radiologist, a doctor who specialises in reading medical images. The report goes to the doctor who requested the scan, who explains the result in the context of your symptoms.
Who needs it
A CT scan is arranged by a doctor when a detailed picture will change what happens next. The requesting doctor chooses CT because the right test depends on the question being asked. The departments that most often request a CT include the emergency department, general and laparoscopic surgery, pulmonology and neurosurgery.
Common reasons for a CT scan include:
- Sudden, severe abdominal pain, including suspected appendicitis or kidney stones
- A head injury, or sudden symptoms that raise concern about a stroke
- Injuries after a road traffic accident or a fall
- Detailed assessment of the lungs, such as a persistent shadow on a chest X-ray
- Complex fractures and bone problems that need a clear three-dimensional view
- Planning before some operations
A CT uses X-rays, so it is chosen when its detail is needed to answer the question. Where an ultrasound or MRI scan, which use no ionising radiation, can answer the same question, your doctor will usually choose one of those instead. More about how imaging is chosen is on the Radiology page.
What happens
You lie on a narrow table, usually on your back, and a radiographer positions you comfortably. The table then moves slowly through the scanner. The CT scanner is a short, wide ring, open at both ends, and your head often stays outside it, so most people who dislike enclosed spaces find a CT easy to tolerate. The radiographer watches you through a window and can hear and speak to you throughout.
The scanner makes a whirring sound as it takes images. You will be asked to keep still and, for chest and abdominal scans, to hold your breath for a few seconds at a time, because movement blurs the pictures. The scanning itself usually takes a few minutes, although the whole appointment is longer once positioning and any contrast are included.
Some scans need contrast, a clear iodine-based dye that makes blood vessels and organs stand out. It is given through a small cannula in a vein in your arm. As it goes in, most people feel a warm flush spreading through the body, a metallic taste in the mouth, and sometimes a sensation of passing urine. These feelings are expected and pass within a minute or two. For some abdominal scans, you may also be asked to drink a contrast liquid beforehand.
Preparing for it
You will be told when the scan is arranged whether it needs contrast, since that decides the preparation. For a scan with contrast, you may be asked to fast for a few hours beforehand, while usually continuing to drink water. Your team may arrange a recent blood test of kidney function first.
Tell the team before the scan if:
- You are pregnant or might be pregnant
- You have had a reaction to contrast dye before
- You have kidney disease, asthma or a thyroid condition
- You take tablets for diabetes, since some are paused around a contrast scan on medical advice
- You are breastfeeding
Wear loose, comfortable clothing without metal, and leave jewellery at home. Bring your referral, your medicine list and any previous scans, however old, since comparison helps the radiologist. If you are fasting during Ramadan, mention it when the scan is arranged so the timing and fluids can be planned.
Afterwards
After a CT scan without contrast, you can go home and carry on as normal straight away. After a contrast scan, the cannula is removed and you may be asked to wait a short time before leaving. Drink plenty of water for the rest of the day to help your kidneys clear the contrast, especially in the UAE summer heat. You can usually drive, eat and return to work as normal.
Your images are reported by a radiologist, and the report is sent to the doctor who requested the scan, who discusses the result with you. Urgent findings are passed to your doctor straight away.
Contact the hospital if a rash, itching or swelling appears in the hours after a contrast scan, or if the cannula site becomes painful, red or swollen. Call emergency services or go to the emergency department straight away if you have difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips or throat, or feel faint.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE health insurance plans cover a CT scan when a doctor requests it for a medical reason, but CT almost always needs pre-approval from your insurer, except in an emergency. Starting the approval as soon as the scan is requested avoids delay. Screening scans without symptoms are sometimes excluded. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of a CT scan?
The main risks of a CT scan are exposure to ionising radiation and, where contrast is used, a reaction to the contrast dye. The radiation dose is higher than a plain X-ray, so a CT is performed only when the information it gives outweighs this small risk. Contrast reactions are usually mild, such as itching or a rash, and serious reactions are uncommon. Contrast can occasionally affect kidney function, which is why kidney tests are checked in people at higher risk.
How much radiation does a CT scan use?
A CT scan uses more radiation than a plain X-ray, and the amount depends on the part of the body scanned. The scan is set to use as little radiation as the clinical question allows. Ultrasound and MRI use no ionising radiation, so they are preferred when they can answer the same question.
Can I have a CT scan if I am pregnant?
A CT scan is generally avoided in pregnancy unless the information is needed urgently and no safer test will answer the question. Tell the team before any scan if you are pregnant or might be. In an emergency, your doctor weighs the need for the scan against the small risk to the baby and explains the decision.
Is a CT scan the same as an MRI?
A CT scan and an MRI are different tests. A CT uses X-rays, takes minutes, and is well suited to bone, lungs, bleeding and sudden abdominal problems. An MRI uses a strong magnet and radio waves with no ionising radiation, takes longer, and shows soft tissues such as the brain, spinal cord, ligaments and cartilage in greater detail.
Will I feel claustrophobic in a CT scanner?
Most people do not feel claustrophobic in a CT scanner, because it is a short ring open at both ends and your head often stays outside it. The scanning takes only a few minutes. If enclosed spaces worry you, tell the radiographer, who stays in contact with you throughout.
Can I request a CT scan myself at Dar Al Kamal Hospital?
A CT scan at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah is arranged by a doctor rather than requested directly, because the doctor decides whether a CT is the right test for your symptoms. If you have a referral from another doctor, bring it with you. Book an appointment on 06 599 7777.
Is a CT scan covered by insurance?
Most UAE insurance plans cover a CT scan requested for a medical reason, but pre-approval is almost always required outside an emergency. Screening scans without symptoms are sometimes excluded. Confirm your cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.
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