It is used to check whether there has been any spread of the disease to other parts of the throat and neck. To increase the detail of the picture, a dye may be injected into a vein in your arm. This may give you a temporary feeling of being hot all over. Once you are lying comfortably on the couch the scan can be taken. The scan itself is painless but it will mean lying still for 10-30 minutes.
Most people are able to go home as soon as their scan is over.
The CT scan is painless but takes up to 30 minutes . During the test you will be asked to lie very still on a couch inside a long tube for about 30 minutes. It can be slightly uncomfortable and some people feel a bit claustrophobic during the scan. It is also noisy, but you will be given ear plugs. You can usually take someone with you into the room to keep you company.