CT Scan

At Raleigh ENT we strive to provide excellent care.  We also know that our patients are busy and appreciate convenience.  We are pleased to be able to offer in office CT (CAT) scans for evaluation of the sinuses.

What is a CT scan?

CT scanning, sometimes called CAT scanning, is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.  CT scanning combines special x-ray equipment with sophisticated computers to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body.

X-rays are not needed for all patients, and your doctor will suggest what is appropriate when you are in for your visit.  However, if a CT scan is needed, it can often be done during your visit.

When is a CT scan needed?

For example, sometimes a patient has been suffering with sinusitis for months.  The primary care physician has provided appropriate treatment, yet nothing seems to work.  After talking to her and examining her, her physician at Raleigh ENT decides more information is needed.  A CT scan can be done to show all of the sinuses and nasal passages.  Results are available within minutes and can be reviewed with you in the office.  Perhaps the sinuses are free of infection and alternative diagnoses like allergies or migraines can be considered.  Perhaps she has polyps or some other blockage that needs to be addressed.  Or maybe chronic sinusitis is found and more antibiotics or surgery are needed.

This convenient test (when appropriate) can help you and your doctor make the most informed decision about treatment.

Does it hurt?

No.  The scanning takes less than five minutes.  We can accommodate children, adults, and older patients.  We use advanced technology (Siemens CARE dose) to deliver maximum image quality with minimized radiation doses.

First Blog Post

Welcome to Raleigh ENT’s first blog post. We want to use this space to provide updates about our practice. Mostly I anticipate this will be in the form of clinical information. We are excited about the new additions to our website and want to be able to connect to our patients through a variety of ways.

The first topic is balloon sinuplasty. This is a relatively new tool we have to deal with chronic sinus infections. Through the years there have been important advances in the surgical treatment of sinus infections. In the 1980’s endoscopic surgery provided an enhanced view of the sinus passages and improved the accuracy of the procedure. In the 1990’s image guided techniques provided an intraoperative road map of the sinuses. This gives us anatomical detail on the order of several millimeters during a procedure and helps us to safely dissect within the sinus passages.

Balloon sinuplasty is another important advancement. The goal of sinus surgery is to improve the natural drainage pathways. A balloon is advanced over a guide wire into the offending sinus. The balloon is then inflated which safely and relatively atraumatically enlarges the natural opening. This is a similar concept to angioplasty to help relieve clogged arteries.

Our goal is to continually evaluate how we practice medicine. We are constantly learning new techniques and evaluating their role in treating disease. We look forward to passing along what we learn.