Ask The Doctor: Pelvic CT Sca... Health Article

Mary Pickett, M.D., is a lecturer for Harvard Medical School and an assistant professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR. At OHSU, she practices general internal medicine and teaches medical residents and students.

Question:

What is the difference between a pelvic CT scan and an abdominal CT scan?

Answer:

In general, a computed tomography (CT) scan is a collection of X-ray images that are organized by a computer. A CT can show the way that your body would appear if it were cut into "slices" a half-centimeter thick, more or less.

CT scans expose the body to radiation, so doctors limit the area of the body that they examine with a CT scan.

A CT scan of the abdomen takes pictures from the level of the diaphragm down to the lowest portions of the intestine. A CT scan of the pelvis includes views of the bladder, reproductive organs, and pelvic support muscles. Very commonly, in order to evaluate abdominal symptoms, doctors will order a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, combined. Sometimes a radiologist will generate two reports when both studies are done, which can be confusing to a patient who has had only a single CT scan appointment.