Exam Preparation:
Abdomen/Pelvis MDCT

Evaluates the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys and lower GI tract, including the colon and rectum. General CT Exam Guidelines are listed below.

Preparation

• Continue to take your routine medications.
• If you are over the age of 65 or have Renal Insufficiency and will be receiving I.V. contrast as part of your CT exam, you must have a BUN/creatinine drawn within 30 days of you exam date.
• While at SMI, you will be given an oral contrast agent to drink just before your examination.
• Please notify the technologist if you have had a barium study within the last 3 days.
• Please notify the technologist if you are pregnant or could be pregnant.
• Allow 15-30 minutes for the exam.

Consult the CT Exam Guidelines below for more information.

General CT Exam Guidelines:

• Prior to your scheduled appointment, our office staff will call you to discuss specific instructions, review your health and insurance information and answer any questions.
• For your convenience, print out and complete the appropriate Patient Forms, including Patient Registration and Patient History. Bring them with you to your appointment.
• Follow the specific preparation instructions listed above for your particular type of CT exam. These may include consuming a pre-exam barium sulfate solution, dietary restrictions and/or instructions on drinking fluids. Take your medication as usual (unless your physician has given you other instructions).
• If you’ve had an allergic reaction to a contrast agent in any prior imaging exam, please notify our staff before your appointment.
• Leave your valuables at home. All jewelry and any metal objects must be removed prior to the exam.
• Wear comfortable clothing without zippers, snaps or metal buttons. Or, you may change into a hospital gown or scrubs after arriving.
• Please notify the technologist if you are pregnant or could be pregnant.
• Please bring all relevant prior examination films or studies (CT, MRI, ultrasound, x-rays, etc.) with you on the day of your exam.
• Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your exam.
• See specific exam informatin above for further instructions.

What to Expect During the Exam

The technologist will help position you comfortably on a cushioned table. The table top will move through a gantry (shaped like a big donut) that has an x-ray tube on one side and an arc-shaped detector mounted on the opposite side.

During each full rotation, a fan-shaped x-ray beam is passed through your body and an image of a thin section is acquired. The detector records about 1,000 images or slices of the expanded x-ray beam per rotation.

A computer reconstructs the slices into two-dimensional (cross-sectional) and/or three-dimensional images of your internal anatomy. Normally an entire scan can be done with a single breath hold.

Some CT studies require a contrast material to enhance the visibility of certain tissues or blood vessels. The contrast is injected through an I.V. in your hand or arm. You may feel a warm, flushed sensation and experience a metallic taste in your mouth that lasts for a few minutes.

You will receive special instructions if your exam requires you to consume an oral contrast agent in advance.

Depending on the type of exam, your CT scan can take between 10-30 minutes.

What to Expect After the Exam

• You may leave as soon as the exam is completed and resume normal activities.
• Your normal diet may be resumed.
• If you were given a contrast agent orally or by I.V., drinking plenty of water after the exam will help flush your system.
• Your imaging study will be interpreted by a WIS board certified radiologist who specializes in the area of the body being scanned.
• Your referring physician will receive a report and pictures detailing the findings of your exam within 24 hours. You should contact your doctor to discuss the results.

For more information on CT, check out the Common Questions section of this site.