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CT SCAN
Childbearing Age?
IMPORTANT: If you are a woman of childbearing age (13-50) and there is a chance that you are pregnant, please inform your physician.
Enter The Hospital:
Enter through Baldwin Area Medical Center's main entrance and report to the Patient Registration Desk 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment. After registering, you will be instructed to wait in the main lobby. The technologist will take you to the CT scanner.
PURPOSE:
CT Scan or Computerized Tomography is the term used for this diagnostic test. An x-ray tube moves in a circular fashion around the area being scanned. These rays are picked up on a scanner, fed into a computer and seen on a screen. Types of CT scans are:
 Head - visualization of the intracranial anatomy
Chest - visualization of the thoracic anatomy
Abdomen/Pelvis - visualization of the abdominal and pelvic anatomy
Colon - for this exam, the CT scan is performed with the colon filled with air. Air is placed into the colon through a soft rubber tube that is inserted into the rectum. The scan will be performed with you laying on your back and on your stomach. It is not necessary to inject contrast into a vein.
Spine - visualization of intervertebral disc, spinal canal and vertebral bodies
Extremity - visualization of the extremities anatomy
BEFORE THE EXAM:
CT of the Head/Neck/Chest/Hematuria Protocol
You should not eat or drink anything four hours prior to your exam. If patient is age 65 or older, has history of renal failure, diabetic or has received chemotherapy with platinum agents within the last six months, a serum creatinine is needed. Normal results should be within the last two weeks.
CT of Abdomen/Pelvis
You should not have anything to eat or drink 4 hours prior to your exam. (Medications may be taken with clear liquid.) You will drink a diluted barium mixture. It is best to refrigerate the barium ahead of time. Drink the barium as follows according to your appointment time.
Test scheduled before or at 10:00 AM - drink half bottle of Readicat at bedtime and the other half one hour before test.
Test scheduled after 10:00 AM - drink half bottle of Readicat at 6:00 AM the morning of your test and the other half one hour before test.
If patient is age 65 or older, has history of renal failure, diabetic or has received chemotherapy with platinum agents within the last six months, a serum creatinine is needed. Normal results should be within the last two weeks.
CT of the Renal Stone Protocol, Sinuses, Extremities and Spine
You may eat and drink up to the time of the exam. Lumbar spine and Renal Stone Protocol patients must be barium free.
CT of the Colon
To have this exam, your colon must be completely empty. This is accomplished by using a Fleet prep kit. Use the 24 hour instructions in the prep kit.
For All CT's Other than Spinal
If patient is age 65 or older, has history of renal failure, diabetic or has received chemotherapy with platinum agents within the last six months, a serum creatinine is needed.
THE EXAM:
For most exams you will be asked to wear a gown. You will be asked to lie very still on the table. Safety straps may be placed over you to help you remain still to prevent blurring of the picture. The table will be surrounded by a large, donut-like structure. The table will move you in and out of the opening to the proper positioning for your particular exam. Several pictures will be taken which will take approximately 30 minutes.
Some exams require contrast media, or dyes, to help enhance the visualization of certain tissues. If dye is needed, it is administered by injection into a vein. You may feel a slight sensation during this injection. Although contrast is not harmful, it’s iodine-based, which can trigger an allergic reaction in some patients. Those persons who are allergic to iodine should notify their doctor prior to any CT exam.
AFTER THE EXAM:
You may eat and drink when the study is complete. Drink lots of fluids.
If you are diabetic and use the drug Metformin (Glucophage), Glucovance or Avandamet, you must quit using it for 48 hours after your scan is done if you had a contrast injection during your scan.
A report will be sent to your chart later in the day if you are an in-patient. If you are an outpatient, a report will be sent to your doctor. Please allow four working days for your doctor to contact you.
BILLING:
You will receive two bills for your radiology examination. Baldwin Area Medical Center will bill for the examination. The Radiologist, who is a doctor with specialized training in radiology, will bill separately for his interpretation, consultation with the physician and report.
We thank you for allowing us to serve you and welcome any questions or comments you may have.
If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please call Baldwin Area Medical Center at (715) 684-3311.
PATIENTS RIGHTS:
As a patient you have the right to know about and discuss with your family, your doctor and nurse exactly what type of treatment and care you will be receiving.
The healthcare team of Baldwin Area Medical Center accepts the responsibility to ensure that you are adequately informed about all procedures. We hope the enclosed information will help.
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