How does a CT scan work?

• Data acquisition
• Slice Thickness
• Voxel Dimensions
• Cool thing: slicing
• Constrast vs. non-contrast CT

<aside> 🪄

…and now, you’re finally ready!

• Bonus pic </aside>

The .dicom (a.k.a. .dcm) data format

The data format is not exclusive to CT scans. The DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) file format is a standardized format used for storing and transmitting medical images, such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans, along with associated metadata. It integrates image data with patient information, acquisition parameters, and other relevant details in a single file, enabling interoperability between different medical imaging devices and systems.

In the context of CT scans, each .dcm (DICOM) file typically corresponds to one CT slice. Thus, a full CT scan consists of a series of slices (a set of .dcm files), which are usually stored together in a directory when exported.

• Sample .dcm file:
• SeriesDescription values across multiple files
• CT scan phases