CT scan is defined as what?

• A. a single X-ray photograph of a body part
• B. an imaging technique that uses sound waves
• C. a series of ultrasound images
• D. a series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body

Answer: (D)

CT scan refers to a computed tomography process that uses X-rays taken from many different angles around the body and then combines those images with a computer to create cross‑sectional slices of the body. This reconstruction into thin slices lets clinicians see internal structures in detail and distinguish tissue densities that a single X‑ray image might miss. It’s different from a single X‑ray photograph, which gives one 2D projection, and from ultrasound, which uses sound waves to generate images. CT is fast and widely used for evaluating trauma, chest and abdominal issues, tumors, and planning treatments, but it involves ionizing radiation, so its use is weighed against the diagnostic benefit.