What Does a Chest CT Scan Show?
A chest CT scan provides detailed pictures of the size, shape, and position of your lungs and other structures in your chest. Doctors use this test to: • Follow up on abnormal results from standard chest x rays. • Find the cause of lung symptoms, such as shortness of breath or chest pain. • Find out whether you have a lung problem, such as a tumor, excess fluid around the lungs, or a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs). The test also is used to check for other conditions, such as tuberculosis, emphysema, and pneumonia.
