Computed tomography of the orbits
Orbital CT Scan in Casablanca
The orbit is the bony cavity that contains the eye, its muscles, the optic nerve and the fat surrounding them. An orbital CT scan uses X-rays to obtain thin slices of this region. It clearly shows the bony walls, can detect a metallic foreign body and makes it possible to examine the eye muscles, a mass or an infection. It is performed without or with an iodinated contrast injection, depending on the question asked.
Duration, report and equipment
Duration
The exam usually takes 5 to 10 minutes on the table, up to about 15 minutes with an injection.
Report turnaround
Report within 24 hours. In an emergency, during opening hours, the report is handed over immediately.
Equipment
GE Revolution
When is this exam needed?
- Blow to the face with suspected fracture of the orbit (double vision, sunken eye).
- Search for a metal fragment in the eye, after an accident or before an MRI.
- Bulging eye (exophthalmos), especially in thyroid disease.
- Red, swollen and painful eyelids suggesting an infection of the orbit.
- Mass of the lacrimal gland, the eye muscles or the optic nerve.
- Decreased vision or eye pain whose cause is being looked for in the orbit.
How the exam is done
After a few questions, especially about any accident involving flying metal, you remove glasses, hair clips, earrings and facial piercings. You lie on your back, with your head straight in a head rest.
During image acquisition, you are usually asked to close your eyes without squeezing them and not to move them, or to stare at a point straight ahead: eye movement can blur the image of the muscles and the optic nerve. Passing through the ring takes a few seconds, with no pain. If contrast is injected, it goes through a small tube placed in a vein in your arm, sometimes with a feeling of warmth. You then leave as usual.
Preparation
- Remove glasses, hair clips, facial jewelry and eyebrow or nose piercings.
- If a metal fragment may have hit your eye (grinding, welding, metalwork), tell us when you book.
Fasting
No fasting is needed, even if an injection is planned. Drink normally.
Contrast injection
The iodinated contrast agent is mainly used for an infection, a mass or an inflammation of the orbit; it is generally not needed for a fracture or a foreign body. When planned, it is injected through a catheter in a vein in the arm.
Contraindications and precautions
- Previous reaction to an iodinated contrast agent: tell us when you book; a preparation or another exam may be offered.
- Diabetes treated with metformin, or kidney disease: please tell us. Depending on your kidney function, the radiologist will tell you whether metformin should be paused after the injection. Bring a recent creatinine test if you are asked to.
- Graves' disease or another thyroid disease: injected iodine can disturb it; the radiologist decides.
- Current or possible pregnancy: you must tell us before the exam. A CT scan uses X-rays: it is performed during pregnancy only if it is essential.
- Breastfeeding: please tell us. It is generally not necessary to stop breastfeeding after an iodinated contrast injection.
Documents to bring
- Prescription from the ophthalmologist or doctor
- Previous exams of the eyes or face (CT, MRI, ultrasound)
- List of your medications
- Insurance or mutual insurance fund card
- Recent kidney function test if an injection is planned
Price and insurance coverage
The price of the orbital CT scan varies with the iodinated contrast injection, mainly useful in case of infection, mass or inflammation.
The center accepts coverage from insurance companies and the main mutual insurance funds. You submit the coverage request to your insurer or fund yourself. For AtlantaSanad and Sanlam, the center takes care of it.
No prices are shown on this site: Kenza gives you the exact price on WhatsApp, along with the coverage procedure for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Why have an orbital CT scan before an MRI?
If a metal fragment may have entered the eye (grinding, welding, accident), an MRI can be dangerous, because its magnet could move the fragment. An X-ray or a CT scan of the orbits, which uses no magnet, can look for this type of foreign body before the MRI is scheduled. Always mention this kind of history.
Is the lens of the eye exposed to X-rays?
The crystalline lens, the natural lens of the eye, is sensitive to X-rays. The settings are chosen to limit the dose to what is necessary. This is also why this exam is done only when it is useful, and why you should bring your previous exams.
Do I have to keep my eyes closed?
Usually yes, without squeezing your eyelids, or else by staring at a point. The eyes move easily, which can blur the muscles and the optic nerve. The very short acquisition makes this instruction easy to follow.
I am being followed for Graves' disease, is that a problem?
A CT scan without injection does not pose any particular difficulty. However, injected iodine can affect how the thyroid works. Tell us about your condition and your treatment: the radiologist decides whether or not to inject. For the eye muscles, an MRI is sometimes offered.
Orbital CT Scan in Casablanca: how much does it cost?
The price of the orbital CT scan varies with the iodinated contrast injection, mainly useful in case of infection, mass or inflammation. The center accepts coverage from insurance companies and the main mutual insurance funds. No prices are shown on this site: Kenza gives you the exact price on WhatsApp, along with the coverage procedure for your situation.