What Does CTH Mean In Medical Terms?

What's going on here?

In radiology reports, CTH stands for Computed Tomography Head—a quick, painless scan that gives doctors a clear look inside your skull RadiologyInfo.org. Over in neurology or pain clinics, though, CTH usually points to Chronic Tension-type Headaches. That means you're dealing with headaches at least 15 days a month for three months or longer, with that familiar squeezing sensation around your temples International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Context is everything here—where you see this acronym in your records makes all the difference.

Here's how to figure out which one applies to you

Radiology context: Hop into your health portal and poke around the imaging section. Look for entries labeled “CTH” or “Head CT” under procedures. If those show up, your doctor ordered the scan to check for things like bleeding, stroke damage, or skull fractures Mayo Clinic. Can't find it? The radiology department can confirm whether the test actually happened—just give them a ring.

Neurology or pain-clinic context: Pull up your provider's note and hunt for the word “headache” or scan the “history of present illness” section. Spot phrases like “daily,” “constant,” or “≥15 days/month”? That’s your clue it’s about chronic tension-type headaches, not an imaging study American Academy of Neurology.

Still scratching your head?

Ask your clinician directly: Fire off a secure message through your patient portal or call the office during regular hours. Try something like, “In my most recent note, what does CTH stand for?” Most clinics can pull the full text and clear this up in minutes HealthIT.gov.

Check the surrounding text: Imaging reports almost always include the word “scan” or the CPT code 70450. Neurology notes, on the other hand, tend to mention headache questionnaires, “tension-type,” or “TTH” (tension-type headache) American Medical Association.

How to dodge this confusion in the future

Always read the sentence containing the acronym—the surrounding words usually give it away. When you check in for an appointment, ask the front-desk staff, “What does CTH mean in my chart this time?” Keep a running list of acronyms in a notes app or spreadsheet; it helps you spot patterns and ask smarter questions. Starting in 2026, major portals like Epic MyChart and Cerner will show hover-over definitions for common acronyms—turn that feature on in your account settings for instant clarity Epic.