Specifically, this medical test is called a CT scan. In the CT scan procedure, a person who has suffered a back injury in a car accident will thus be properly diagnosed. Aside from the slight indentation on one's back, it is very hard to determine, just on the surface of the skin, what the spinal injury actually was.

Basically, a CT scan is an intensified version of the usual x-ray. When a patient has an x-ray done of a certain area of their body, the radiation is at just a minimal amount. Thus, a basic x-ray is best only to ascertain broken bones.

In the case of a spinal cord injury, a more detailed x-ray is needed, and that is where the CT scan can help. Since there is more radiation involved in this procedure, the overall results are far more detailed as well. Blood vessels and even tissue can be seen.

It is important to note that this kind of scan is not just to diagnose spinal cord injuries – quite the contrary. Actually, it is used to diagnose a myriad of other health issues. Take, for example, the brain. When a person is experiencing extreme migraines on a regular basis, this scan might be done to determine if the headaches are caused by something more serious, such as a clot or a brain tumor.

Another way that this scan is used in diagnosis is in examining the vital organs. Again, this could be to find out if there is a tumor present. Or, it could, in the case of the arteries, be used to see if there is a plaque buildup. If such buildup was determined in the scan, that would indicate that the patient is at risk for a heart attack.

How does a patient prepare for such a procedure? First of all, attention should be paid to how the patient is dressed. Comfortable clothing is very important, since the patient will be lying in one place for around an hour. In order for the scan to be successful, the patient needs to avoid wearing anything that has a metal button, zipper, or anything metal in general on it.

Sometimes, clothing is not actually a big deal at all. If the patient arrives in something that is not suitable for the scan, the doctor might request for the patient to just wear a medical robe. The patient will be asked to lie down on a narrow bed – much like the bed that is used during regular examinations.

The patient and the bed will, in a conveyor belt-like motion, be pushed back into a large tube-like place for the actual scan. Some patients have a problem with this part if they have claustrophobia. The patient is sometimes invited to go to sleep with the scan is being performed, or the patient and listen to music of their choice.