WHAT TO DO TO PREPARE FOR YOUR SCAN
CT SCAN
WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SCAN
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SCAN
PICTORAL TOUR OF CT SCAN
PREPARING FOR THE CT EXAM

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• Patient Guide To CT Exam

WHAT TO DO TO PREPARE FOR YOUR SCAN

Medications
It is important for you to keep to your regular medication schedule. Please take all the medications that have been prescribed to you by your doctor. Just let our staff know what medications you have taken prior to your test. Depending on your medical condition and the type of test that your physician has ordered, you may be requested to come to CT one hour early to drink a cup of barium sulfate. Barium allows us to visualize the gastrointestinal system. If you are going to be at the MGH prior to the day of your CT exam, you can stop by CT and get a bottle of barium sulfate to take home. Drink the barium two (2) hours prior to the scheduled time of your CT exam. You may then arrive at the MGH CT area at the scheduled time of your exam.

Food and Drink
You should not eat solid foods for two hours prior to your test. You may, however, drink plenty of fluids, such as water, broth, clear soups, juice, or black decaffeinated coffee or tea. We encourage you to drink plenty of fluids before your arrival to our center.


CT SCAN
When To Arrive
If you are having a CT scan of your abdomen or pelvis, you need to arrive one hour before your scheduled appointment. If you were able to stop by the CT department prior to the day of your CT exam and pick up a bottle of barium sulfate, you can arrive at your scheduled appointment time provided you drank the barium 2 hours before your exam time. This is to ensure that the barium fluid completely coats your gastrointestinal tract. The barium helps to highlight body areas for the CT scan. If you are having a scan other than the abdomen you should arrive at your appointed time.

What To Bring
Please bring your insurance cards and any insurance forms with you.

What To Wear
You should dress in comfortable clothing. It will not be necessary for you to change into a hospital gown. If you are wearing jewelry or anything else that might interfere with your scan, we will ask you to remove it. The CT scan is conducted in a very secure environment. It is best, however, if you leave valuable items at home.

Diabetic Conditions
If you are an insulin-dependent diabetic, please continue to take your insulin as prescribed, but remember to drink extra fruit juices to make up for the fasting of solid foods for the 2-3 hour period that your stomach is empty. Patients who are taking the supplement called Glucophage or Glucovance should take the prescribed dose as normally done tha day, but discontinue the next doses for 48 hours AFTER their CT exam. Patients should notify their Primary Care Physician (PCP) that they were instructed to discontinue their medication for 48 hours. If you need a substitute medication, please consult your doctor.


WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SCAN

Clothing
If you are having a head scan, dress in comfortable clothing. For all other exams, you most likely will change into a hospital gown. However, if you prefer, you may come dressed in your own loose, comfortable clothing, such as a sweat top and bottom. Just make sure there are no metal snaps or zippers. Our changing area is private, and there is a secure locker for your clothes. It is best, however, if you leave your valuables at home. If you are wearing jewelry, dentures, glasses, hearing aids or any metal objects which might interfere with the CT scan, we will ask you to remove them.

Intravenous Preparation Many of our patients receive a contrast agent intravenously (IV - in a vein in the arm or hand) during their CT test. If your doctor or the radiologist has determined that this procedure will enhance your CT scan results, the technologist will place an IV in your arm or hand prior to your going into the test. (Please see the section on "Contrast Medium".)

Scanning
Your technologist will bring you into the CT scan room where you will lie down on the patient table. The technologist positions your body so that the area you are having scanned is in the middle of the large doughnut-shaped scanner ring which holds the x-ray tube and an electronic detector. The technologist leaves the room, but is in full view and communication with you through the observation window in the adjoining room. The scanner does not touch you, nor do you feel the x-rays. It does make some noise and the table you are lying on may move slightly to make adjustments for a better view. It is important for you to lie very still and at some points, you may be asked to briefly hold your breath as the picture is taken. During the scan, a thin beam of x-rays is focused on a specific part of your body. The x-ray tube moves very rapidly around this area, enabling multiple images to be made from different angles to create a cross-sectional picture. The x-ray beam information goes to the electronic detector and then into a computer which analyzes the information and constructs an image for the radiologist to interpret.

Length of Scan
Each CT scan is individualized and tailored to each patient’s needs. In general, the actual image-taking itself with the GE LightSpeed™ lasts only about one minute. Many exams require a contrast injection into a vein in the arm or hand. (Please see the section on "Contrast Medium".) If your scan requires a contrast medium injection, the technologist will monitor the injection in the room with you. Most examinations only last approximately 15 minutes in total. When finished, you may then get dressed and leave as instructed by the technologist.


Contrast Medium
Contrast mediums, or contrast agents, (sometimes called dyes) highlight your organs and blood vessels and help the radiologist to see them better. In the past, most contrast agents contained higher levels of iodine. The new contrast agents available today have lower iodine content, which greatly reduces the chance of an allergic reaction and most of the discomforts associated with the injection. The advantage of the GE LightSpeed™ scanner is that it maximizes the efficiency of the contrast medium, which tends to dilute fairly quickly into your bloodstream. Since our scanner is so quick, it is able to take all its pictures while the contrast medium is still in a high concentration which produces better images.


WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SCAN

After The Scan You have no restrictions after having a CT scan and can go about your normal activities. To help eliminate the contrast medium from your body, drink plenty of decaffeinated or non-alcoholic beverages. Water and juices also work well. Results Rapid results are essential not only for your peace-of-mind, but also so that your physician can begin planning your treatment immediately. After completion of the test, the images are read by a Mass General radiologist within 24 hours, with faster results available in urgent situations. Because of our high-tech capabilities, results are quickly forwarded to your physician, who will discuss them with you.

PICTORAL TOUR OF CT SCAN Before Your CT Scan 1) All of your CT experiences will begin with registration at the Blake 2 reception area.
2) You will then be directed to a changing area.
3) Final preparation for CT will depend on type of exam. You may or may not need oral contrast or intravenous (IV) contrast. 4) If you require oral contrast, a radiology team member will give you a cup of barium to drink when you arrive. Barium is a thick, flavored or non-flavored milk shake like drink. 5) If your doctor determined you need oral contrast (barium), you will be asked to come an hour early to drink the barium to allow the barium to move through your system. If you are at the MGH prior to the day of your exam, you may stop by and pick up the barium and take it home with you. Drink the barium three hours before your exam time and arrive at the MGH Blake 2 reception area only 15 minutes before your exam time. This will save you approximately one (1) hour of waiting time. 6) If your CT requires you to have intravenous contrast, you will then have an intravenous catheter inserted into your arm by one of our radiology staff nurses or radiologic technologists.
7) You will then be brought into one of your CT scanning rooms and your technologist will start the exam. Please feel free to ask any questions.
8) Your total exam time should be less than 15 minutes. As we use only state-of-the-art General Electric (GE) LightSpeed CT scanners. The information we acquire will provide the most advanced diagnostic information available. After Your CT Scan 1) You will be allowed to change and leave. The results of your scan will be available to your physician usually within 24 hours.

PREPARING FOR THE CT EXAM

1) If you choose to wear loose fitting clothing with no snaps, buttons, zippers or metal or plastic fasteners, changing into a hospital gown will be unnecessary

2) It is recommended that you leave all jewelry at home.

3) Patients taking Glucovance or Glucophage should take this medication as normal the day of the exam, but suspend it for 48 hours AFTER the exam. Discuss with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) if you should take a substitute medication during this 48 hour period. Check with your PCP (primary care physician) for specific instructions.

4) Prior to your CT exam, you can eat as you normally do EXCEPT for CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis. Again, check with your PCP (primary care physician).

5) Unlike an MRI exam, patients who suffer from claustrophobia usually have no difficulty with a CT exam.

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