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A mobile CT scanner is a transportable computed tomography system designed to provide CT imaging at the patient’s location—such as operating rooms, ICUs, emergency departments, field hospitals, or disaster sites.
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Unlike stationary CT units, mobile CT scanners can be moved to the bedside or mounted in specialized vehicles for prehospital and remote imaging.
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Gantry | • Typically smaller and lighter than conventional CT. |
| • May have sliding or open design for easy patient access (e.g., intraoperative use). | |
| X-ray Tube & Detector | Similar to conventional CT but optimized for portability. |
| Data Acquisition & Processing Unit | • Compact, integrated computer system for reconstruction and image display. |
| • Connectivity with PACS/RIS for immediate reporting. | |
| Mobility | • Mounted on wheeled trolleys for hospital use, or |
| • Installed in ambulances/containers for field deployment. | |
| Power Supply | • Hospital-based: standard mains supply. |
| • Field-based: independent generator or battery support. |
| Domain | Application |
|---|---|
| Neuroimaging | • Stroke imaging in neuro-ICU or ambulance (“stroke ambulance”) for rapid diagnosis and thrombolysis. |
| • Trauma patients in ED/ICU (head injury, C-spine). | |
| • Intraoperative neurosurgery (to assess tumor resection, catheter placement). | |
| Critical Care & ICU | Bedside imaging for unstable patients (intracranial hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, shunt placement). |
| Operating Room | Image-guided surgery (ENT, spine, orthopedic). |
| Military / Disaster Medicine | Field-deployed mobile CT for mass casualty and battlefield injuries. |
| Pediatric Imaging | Reduces need to transport critically ill neonates/children. |