Important Instructions before your CT Scan
Thank you for scheduling your CAT Scan (CT) with Watson Clinic.
Before your test
It is important for you to notify us prior to your arrival if you have ever had a previous serious reaction to IV contrast agents requiring medication.
Please notify us before arriving if you:
- Have had a serious previous reaction to IV Contrast agents requiring treatment.
- Take Metformin.
- Need a translator.
- May be pregnant or breast feeding.
Do not eat or drink 2 hours prior to testing.
You may be instructed prior to the day of your exam, to pick up from our desk a bottle of Barium along with instructions to drink at home. Depending on the type of exam your doctor has ordered, you may need to drink another bottle of Barium upon arrival in our department. The barium will coat the intestine, and the IV contrast highlights the vascular anatomy.
Barium may cause gas and diarrhea.
IV contrast will be excreted from kidneys. There will be no change of urine color.
Take your normal daily medications.
Do NOT take Metformin or Glucophage unless instructed otherwise.
Bring a list of any medications you may take.
Your doctor has ordered a CT scan. This test is performed in a CT scanner using x-rays, and sometimes IV contrast material. You will be ask to complete some paperwork. You will be ask to sign a consent form for the Injection of IV contrast material. The CT staff will review these forms with you and ask some additional questions.
Your scan will be performed to examine specific anatomy and/or vascular anatomy in your body.
If your doctor has ordered your CT with the use of an IV injection of contrast you may be ask to have lab work prior to the exam to evaluate your creatinine level. Creatinine is transported through the bloodstream to the kidneys. The kidneys filter out most of the creatinine and dispose of it in the urine.
What to expect during your CAT Scan
If IV contrast is required, the CT nurse will place the IV in your arm prior to entering the CT scan room. It is very important to notify us if you have ever had a previous serious reaction to IV contrast agents requiring medication.
Once you are in the scan room you will lie on your back with arms above your head. You will be ask to take a breath in and hold it. The longest you may have to hold your breath is 20 seconds. You may want to practice at home before your exam.
When IV contrast is administered, you will feel a warm sensation all over your body, and perhaps a metallic taste in your mouth. Some people even feel as though they have urinated. These are normal responses to the contrast that most people experience, and they subside very quickly.
After the test you will be free to leave unless instructed otherwise by your doctor. You may continue normal activity.
The CT staff will not discuss you results with you. Your doctor will contact you will the results of your CT exam.
For any questions about the test, or if you wish to reschedule, please call the number below or call your physician.
863-680-7755, option 1