For healthcare professionals working with Spanish-speaking patients, it’s important to know how to communicate medical terms accurately. One common term you may need is “CAT scan.” In Spanish, this is referred to as TAC.
Why It’s Called TAC and What It Stands For
In English, CAT scan stands for Computed Axial Tomography. However, in Spanish, the equivalent term is Tomografía Axial Computarizada. Notice that the acronym TAC comes from the Spanish words Tomografía (T), Axial (A), and Computarizada (C).
The Joke: Not a “Scan de Gato”
It’s important to clarify that you can’t translate CAT scan literally into Spanish as “scan de gato.” That would humorously imply scanning a cat, which is not the intended medical term! The correct term is TAC.
Using “Tomografía”
In many cases, people simply use the word “tomografía” to refer to a CAT scan. This term is understood in a medical context to mean the same thing as TAC.
Examples of Using TAC and Tomografía in Context
Here are some examples to help you incorporate TAC and tomografía into your medical Spanish vocabulary:
- We need to perform a CAT scan to get a clearer image.
- Necesitamos realizar un TAC para obtener una imagen más clara.
- Necesitamos realizar una tomografía para obtener una imagen más clara.
- The doctor will review the results of your CAT scan.
- El doctor revisará los resultados de su TAC.
- El doctor revisará los resultados de su tomografía.
- Have you ever had a CAT scan before?
- ¿Alguna vez ha tenido un TAC antes?
- ¿Alguna vez ha tenido una tomografía antes?
- The TAC will help us diagnose your condition.
- El TAC nos ayudará a diagnosticar su condición.
- La tomografía nos ayudará a diagnosticar su condición.
- Please schedule a CAT scan for the patient.
- Por favor, programe un TAC para el paciente.
- Por favor, programe una tomografía para el paciente.
Understanding how to say CAT scan in Spanish is crucial for healthcare professionals. The term TAC stands for Tomografía Axial Computarizada and is widely used in Spanish-speaking medical contexts. Alternatively, you can also use “tomografía” for simplicity. Remember, it’s not “scan de gato”—use TAC or tomografía to ensure clear and accurate communication with your patients!
