Brain CT scan

A brain CT is an X-ray scan. The machine rotates around your head and takes hundreds of thin slices. Software stacks them into a 3D picture of the brain, the skull bones, the sinuses and the blood vessels. The scan itself takes seconds. That is why CT is the first test after a head injury or a suspected stroke. Emergency teams everywhere use it as the first look inside the head after an accident or a sudden change in how a person speaks, moves or thinks. No pain. Modern scanners are multi-slice, so your referral may say MSCT. It is the same test. At Oberig Clinic it runs on Siemens Somatom go.Top and Somatom Confidence scanners with a reduced radiation dose. Radiologists of the Diagnostic Department write the report.

What a brain CT shows

CT sees blood, bone and shifts of brain structures well. The images show bleeding in the brain or under its coverings, swelling, and an ischaemic stroke a few hours after it starts. They also show tumours and metastases (better with contrast), cysts, hydrocephalus (enlarged ventricles), calcifications, brain shrinkage, and traces of old injuries and strokes.

What does CT give in the first hours of a stroke? The key answer: is there bleeding or not. That decides if clot-busting drugs are safe, and every minute counts. Add a CT angiogram of the brain vessels, and the doctor also sees the blocked artery. A perfusion scan shows which part of the brain can still be saved.

What a head CT shows beyond the brain

Your head is more than your brain. A head CT shows fractures of the skull vault and base, the facial bones and the eye sockets. It checks the sinuses in sinusitis, the temporal bones in ear infections and hearing loss, and the jaw before dental implants. For bone, CT beats MRI. So after a facial injury, with chronic sinusitis or before ENT surgery, CT is the choice. Each of these is a separate protocol and a separate price. After an eye injury, for example, an orbit CT finds a broken wall or a foreign body. In chronic otitis, a temporal bone CT shows if the tiny hearing bones are damaged.

When you need a brain CT

An urgent CT is needed after a head injury with loss of consciousness, vomiting or a bad headache. Also for sudden weakness in an arm or leg, a drooping face, slurred speech, the worst headache of your life, or a first seizure. Do not wait for an appointment. Call our emergency line 3003. An easy way to remember stroke signs is FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech trouble, Time to call.

A planned scan is ordered by a neurologist, neurosurgeon, ENT doctor or oncologist. Typical reasons: headaches that have changed in character, dizziness with nerve symptoms, a suspected tumour or metastases, follow-up after surgery or a stroke, and cases where MRI is not allowed (pacemaker, metal implants). CT also suits people who cannot lie still in an MRI tunnel for long.

Older people on blood thinners deserve a special note. Even a light fall with a knock to the head can cause bleeding. It may show up hours or days later as drowsiness, confusion or weakness. Do not wait for things to get worse. Get a CT.

Brain CT or MRI: which is better?

What is the difference, in short? CT uses X-rays and takes the picture in seconds. MRI uses a magnetic field, with no radiation, but takes 20-40 minutes. CT wins in emergencies and for bone. MRI wins for the fine detail of the brain. Here is a side-by-side view:

So the answer depends on the goal. The two are often combined. CT comes first in an acute situation, and MRI follows later for detail. The doctor who examined you makes the call.

When contrast is needed

A plain CT without contrast is enough for injuries, suspected bleeding, and checking bones and sinuses. An iodine-based dye goes into a vein when the doctor needs to see a tumour, metastases, an abscess, inflamed brain coverings or blood vessels. Tumour tissue takes up the dye and turns brighter, so its edges stand out. Up to 70% of CT scans at the clinic use IV contrast, and the CT room is fully equipped in case of a reaction.

Iodine dye can cause a warm flush, nausea or a rash. Serious reactions are rare. Before the scan the doctor will ask about allergies, kidney and thyroid disease, diabetes and the medicines you take. If you have reacted to dye before, an anaesthetist will plan your preparation in advance.

How to prepare

• for a CT without contrast, no preparation is needed, you can eat and drink,
• if you need contrast, do not eat for 4 hours, and if you are over 65, have diabetes or kidney disease, get a blood creatinine test in advance,
• tell the doctor about any allergy to iodine or contrast, pregnancy or breastfeeding,
• bring a referral if you have one and earlier CT or MRI images on disc,
• before the scan, take off glasses, earrings, hairpins and removable dentures.

A plain brain CT can be done at any time of day. Children have CT only with a doctor's referral. Kids under 6 may need sedation, so book a paediatric anaesthetist first. If you breastfeed, take a 24-hour break after contrast.

What happens during the scan

You lie on your back on the table, and soft pads hold your head still. The table glides slowly through a wide ring. There is no tunnel, so people who fear tight spaces cope well. Keep still. Even a small movement blurs the image. If you need contrast, a nurse places a cannula in a vein, and a pump injects the dye. You may feel a wave of warmth at that moment. After contrast, you stay at the clinic for up to 30 minutes under observation.

How long does it take? The brain scan itself takes a few seconds. The whole visit takes about 15 minutes, or up to 30 with contrast. A parent can stay in the room with a child. You can talk to the radiographer through an intercom the whole time. If you feel anything unusual, say so straight away. After a plain CT there are no limits. You can drive and go back to work.

Reading your report

The radiologist reads the images by tissue density. Blood, bone and calcium look bright. Fluid and swelling look dark. The report describes the brain tissue, the ventricles and grooves, the midline structures (any shift), the skull bones and the sinuses. "No focal changes" means no bleeding, no tumour and no fresh stroke on the scan. That is a normal result, even if the report mentions small age-related findings.

"Enlarged ventricles" and "atrophic changes" are often part of ageing. A "cyst" is often a chance finding of no importance. So always read the report together with your symptoms. If you had a scan before, bring the old disc. The radiologist will compare the images and tell you if anything has changed. That often matters more than a single picture. A neurologist or your referring doctor will explain the report and plan treatment.

Common questions

Can I have a brain CT without a referral?

Adults can. A referral helps but is not required. The radiologist needs to know the goal, so tell us about your symptoms. Children need a referral.

Is the radiation harmful?

The dose for a head CT is small, and modern scanners cut it further. The risk of a missed bleed or tumour is far higher. CT is repeated only when there is a medical reason.

How often can I have a CT?

As often as medically needed. For follow-up without an emergency, doctors more often choose MRI, since it uses no radiation.

Can I have it with a pacemaker or metal in my body?

Yes. Unlike MRI, a pacemaker, clips and metal implants do not rule out CT. Metal near the scan area may cause artefacts. The radiologist will allow for that.

Should I stop my medicines?

Usually not. One exception: some people with diabetes and reduced kidney function stop metformin for 48 hours before and after a contrast scan. Your doctor will tell you if this applies to you.

Can I have it during pregnancy?

It is not recommended, only when your life depends on it. Tell the doctor about a possible pregnancy in advance, even if you are not sure.

When will I get the results?

The report and a disc are ready within 24 hours, except weekends and public holidays. In emergencies the result goes to the doctor right away. You can show the disc to any specialist, including at another clinic.

Brain CT prices

A standard brain CT at Oberig Clinic costs UAH 2,445. With contrast it costs UAH 5,655. A head CT of one separate area (sinuses, temporal bones, orbits) costs UAH 2,780. If the vessels of the head and neck need checking along with the brain, choose the scan with angiography. For other scans where contrast is not included, it is a separate line at UAH 2,645. The radiologist sets the final scope from your referral, so it is best to confirm the cost when you book.

Prices are taken from the clinic price list as of 01.10.2026 and may change. Please check the current cost with our call centre.

Why choose Oberig Clinic

• Three CT scanners. 128, 64 and 20 slices, including a Siemens Somatom go.Top with a lower radiation dose. The clinic is a Siemens reference centre.
• Experienced radiologists. Reports come from Taras Matsiievskyi, head of the Diagnostic Department, Iryna Mykytenko and Oleksandr Lysenko, all of the highest qualification category.
• Speed in emergencies. Emergency care runs around the clock, and our neurologists and neurosurgeons get the CT result right away.
• Treatment on site. Neurology, a stroke centre, neurosurgery and ENT doctors all work in one clinic.

Address: 3 Zoolohichna St, buildings "G" and "V", Kyiv. Book online at https://my.oberig.ua/ua/appointment/ or call +38 044 521 30 03.