How is a CT Scan performed?

Often, to enhance the appearance of various organs in your body, it is necessary to administer contrast agents by mouth and/or intravenously. If oral contrast is necessary it is given to you after your arrival at our office and prior to your scan. It takes 30 minutes to 1 hour for the contrast to fill your stomach and intestines. After this time interval, your scan can be performed. If it is determined that intravenous contrast would also optimize your CT exam, this will be explained to you at the time of your exam and the important benefits and minimal risks associated with the injection will be discussed with you by one of our nurses. You will be asked to sign a consent form for IV contrast. At Cascade Radiology Imaging, we use non-ionic contrast, which is extremely safe and has been used in daily routine scanning for many years.

Once the examination begins, you will lie down on the scanning table, which will then move horizontally to position the part of your body to be examined inside a doughnut shaped rotating x-ray tube. The examination table moves through the scanner as images are obtained. You will hear mechanical sounds from the machine and possible clicking sounds from the table movement.

During the scanning, the technologist/nurse can always see and hear you so that you are not alone. We will try to make you as comfortable as possible while you are on the table, as it is very important that you lie still during your exam. Any motion you make may cause the images to distort and blur, requiring rescanning. If pain makes it difficult for you to lie still, you may want to ask your physician for pain medication beforehand.

How do I prepare for a CT Scan?

There is very little preparation for a CT scan. We ask that you have nothing to eat or drink for 2 hours prior to the exam, except for medications. Insulin dependent diabetics may follow their usual dietary regimen, refraining from large or heavy meals one hour prior to the exam. You can view specific exam preparations below..

• Head, Neck, Chest - Nothing to eat or drink 2 hours prior to exam. (Oral medications permitted)
• Abdomen, Pelvis - Nothing to eat or drink 2 hours prior to exam. (Oral medications permitted) Expect to be in the office for 1 ½-2 hours
• Sinus, Lumbar Spine, Cervical Spine - No preparation required

You may wear casual clothing, sweatsuits, or any clothing which does not have zippers, metal buttons or metallic items during the scan. If we feel your clothing may interfere with the quality of the images, you may be asked to change into a patient gown.

A medical history will be obtained by a nurse or technologist prior to the exam. If you have a lengthy medical history, it would be helpful to bring a list of your medications and what types of surgery you’ve had in the past.

Why do a CT scan?

With our multi-detector helical CT scanners the internal anatomy can be seen in great detail. This provides excellent assessment of the internal organs in any region of the body. When necessary, the images obtained can also be reformatted by our radiologists and technologists in multiple 2D and sometimes 3D reconstructions to help with localization of abnormalities, or to help with surgical planning or radiation treatment planning. Additionally, with proper bowel preparation and additional computer assessment a 3D “fly-through” of the colon provides accurate anatomic detail for “virtual colonoscopy” to screen for colon cancer (See separate Virtual Colonoscopy section for more information). Also 2D and 3D reconstructions of CT images can be used to assess vascular anatomy in the chest, abdomen, and extremities, and can often replace more invasive procedures that used to be necessary to “see” the vasculature in those areas.

How will I learn about the results of my scan?

The images from your examination will be interpreted by a Cascade Radiology Imaging radiologist who has expertise in CT. The results of your examination will be communicated promptly by written report to your physician, who will discuss findings with you.