Book a CT Scan in Pune
High-resolution CT imaging at NABL-accredited centres · reports read by senior radiologists.
All assessments
CT Brain (Plain)
Multi-slice CT · 15 min
CT Chest (HRCT)
Multi-slice CT · 20 min
CT Abdomen + Pelvis (Contrast)
Multi-slice CT · 30 min
CT KUB (Stone Protocol)
Multi-slice CT · 15 min
CT Coronary Angiography
Multi-slice CT · 30 min
CT Scan — what it shows, and who it is not for
Written for patients: what the scan can and cannot answer, the radiation involved, what to tell the team beforehand, and what the radiologist's report will say.
What CT Scan shows
Cross-sectional slices of the whole body, reconstructed into 2D and 3D images. CT is outstanding for fresh bleeding, bone detail and fractures, urinary stones, lung architecture, and acute abdominal and chest disease. It is faster than MRI and far more available, which is why it dominates emergency imaging. It is less good than MRI at distinguishing between similar soft tissues, particularly in the brain and spinal cord.
An X-ray tube rotates around you inside the gantry while the table moves slowly through it. Detectors on the far side measure how much of the beam each path absorbs, and a computer reconstructs hundreds of thin slices from those measurements. You lie still on a table that moves; the gantry is a wide ring rather than a tunnel, so it feels far more open than an MRI. Most scans need only a few seconds of actual acquisition and one or two breath-holds.
Safety and radiation
CT uses considerably more ionising radiation than a plain X-ray — the trade for the detail it produces. Published reference figures put a head CT at roughly the background radiation of several months and a chest or abdominal CT at roughly a few years' worth. That is a risk worth taking when the scan will change management, and not worth taking when it will not, which is why CT is requested selectively rather than as a screening test. Modern scanners use iterative reconstruction and automatic dose modulation to keep the exposure as low as the diagnostic question allows.
Who should not have a CT Scan scan
- Pregnancy
- Always declare it. CT of the abdomen or pelvis delivers a direct dose to the fetus and is avoided unless the scan is genuinely necessary and no alternative — usually ultrasound or MRI — will answer the question. Head and limb CT can sometimes proceed with shielding after a specific discussion.
- Previous severe reaction to iodinated contrast
- A past reaction with rash, swelling, breathing difficulty or collapse must be reported before any contrast study. The scan may be done without contrast, with premedication, or replaced by a different test. Simple warmth, flushing or a metallic taste during a previous injection is a normal sensation, not an allergy.
- Impaired kidney function
- Iodinated contrast is cleared by the kidneys, so a recent creatinine or eGFR is checked before contrast studies. With significantly reduced function the scan may be done without contrast, or with hydration and dose adjustment as directed by the radiologist.
- Metformin, and uncontrolled thyroid overactivity
- Bring your medication list. Metformin is sometimes withheld around a contrast study in people with reduced kidney function, and iodinated contrast can destabilise untreated hyperthyroidism — both are managed with a plan rather than a refusal, provided the team knows.
- Inability to lie still, or claustrophobia
- The bore is short and open, so claustrophobia is far less of a problem than with MRI, but movement blurs the slices and may make a scan non-diagnostic. Tell the team if pain, tremor or anxiety will make stillness difficult; positioning aids and, rarely, sedation can be arranged.
- Table weight and bore limits
- Every scanner has a stated maximum table weight and aperture. Mention any concern when booking so the appropriate scanner is allocated, rather than discovering it on the day.
When a CT Scan is ordered
- Head injury, stroke and suspected intracranial bleeding
- Severe or unexplained abdominal pain
- Suspected kidney or ureteric stones
- Chest disease and characterisation of lung nodules
- Cancer staging and treatment response
- Major trauma, as a rapid whole-body assessment
- Complex fractures and pre-surgical planning
- Suspected pulmonary embolism, with contrast
Contrast and preparation
Many CT studies use an iodinated contrast agent injected into a vein to make blood vessels and vascularised tissue stand out. A warm flush through the body and a metallic taste as it goes in are expected and pass within a minute. Kidney function is checked beforehand, four hours of fasting is usual, and drinking well afterwards helps clear it. Some abdominal studies also use oral contrast or plain water to distend the bowel.
What your report will cover
The radiologist reports each organ system in the scanned region systematically — size, density, enhancement pattern, and any focal lesion with its measurements — along with lymph nodes, vessels, bones in the field, and any fluid or free gas. Incidental findings are described with a recommendation, and prior scans are compared where available.
The path from booking to results
Book in the app
Choose your tests, pick a slot that works, and pay when it suits you.
We come to you
A phlebotomist visits home at your chosen time — or drop by a partner lab instead.
Processed at an NABL lab
Every sample is handled at one of our accredited labs, tracked end to end.
Report + doctor review
Your digital report lands with a complimentary read-through from a doctor.