🩻 A medical image 🔍 A close analysis 🩻 To image inside

to CT scan

3.7

To examine a person or part of their body using X-rays and a computer to make detailed images

verb
/si ti skæn/

Specialized

: realizar una tomografía computarizada

They will CT scan your head to look for any signs of bleeding or swelling.

Examples

If the symptoms persist, we may need to CT scan your abdomen for a clearer diagnosis.
The hospital CT scanned him after the accident.
The doctor decided to CT scan the patient to check for internal injuries after the accident.
The doctor will CT scan the patient this afternoon.
The doctor decided to CT scan the patient to check for internal injuries after the accident.
They will CT scan your head to look for any signs of bleeding or swelling.
If the symptoms persist, we may need to CT scan your abdomen for a clearer diagnosis.

Synonyms

to x-ray

vsto CT scan

30 3.8

To take a picture of the inside of a person or object using special invisible rays

uses computed slices to create much more detailed internal images

How Thorough

to CT scan

Specialized

3.7

to examine

868 2.5

to look at

∞ 1.0

to check

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

CT scan infinitive

CT scanned past

CT scanned past participle

CT scanning present participle

CT scans third person singular

Morphology

CT + scan

The meaning 'to examine using computed tomography' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'CT' (computed tomography) with 'scan' (to image/examine). This is a straightforward compositional medical compound/verbing of a noun phrase and follows predictable English word-formation patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

CT scan as a verb comes from the name of the test: to CT scan someone is to put them in the machine so it can take many thin X-ray 'slices' and a computer makes pictures of the inside. So to 'CT scan' someone means 'to examine using this method'.