Whidbey General Hospital » Hospital Services » Departments » Diagnostic Imaging

Computed Tomography (CT)

Cat scanCT Machine

Computed Tomography, also known as computed axial tomography (CAT), is medical technology that uses X-ray and computers to produce three-dimensional images of the human body. Unlike traditional X-rays, which are used primarily for dense body parts, such as bones, CT provides detailed views of the body’s soft tissues, including blood vessels, muscle tissue, and organs, such as the brain. While conventional X-rays provide flat two-dimensional images, CT images depict a cross-section of the body.

PATIENT INSTRUCTIONS

EXAMS THAT REQUIRE ORAL CONTRAST

  • Please do not eat or drink 4 hours prior to your exam
  • Oral contrast is 2 bottles of barium taken as listed for your exam
  • You may also be getting an IV contrast injection
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

EXAMS THAT MAY REQUIRE IV CONTRAST

  • Abdomen/Pelvis
  • Chest
  • Neck
  • Head, Brain, Orbits, Internal Auditory Canals

FOR ALL EXAMS THAT REQUIRE IV CONTRAST

  • If you are diabetic, please notify the technologist and the person scheduling the exam
  • If you take Glucophage or Metformin for diabetes, you need to withhold this medication for 48 hours - after the IV injection
  • If you have had a previous reaction to the IV contrast or have an allergy to iodine, your doctor should prescribe some medication for you, prior to the exam
  • If you have a history of diabetes, nephrectomy (kidney removal), renal failure, or renal problems and/or are 70+ years old, you will need to have some blood work done within 90 days prior to your scan

EXAMS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE IV OR ORAL CONTRAST

  • Extremities
  • Hip
  • Pelvis
  • Sinus
  • Spine
  • Urogram

AAA ABDOMEN (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm)

  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • You will have IV contrast for this exam
  • You will need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have a history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

ABDOMEN/PELVIS ROUTINE

  • Please do not eat or drink 4 hours prior to your exam
  • You will need to drink 2 bottles of barium contrast:
    • Drink one bottle 2 hours prior to the exam
    • Drink ¾ of the second bottle 1 hour prior to the exam
    • Bring the last ¼ of the second bottle with you to the exam
  • You will have IV contrast for this exam
  • You will need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have a history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • If you have right lower quadrant pain, you may be given a rectal contrast
  • Your exam will take approximately 20 minutes
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

CHEST/THORAX

  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • You will have IV contrast for this exam
  • You will need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have a history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

EXTREMITY, SPINE, HIP, PELVIS (Bone studies)

  • You can eat and drink as usual, prior to this exam
  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • No IV contrast is given

HEAD/BRAIN

  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • You will have IV contrast for this exam
  • You will need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have a history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

INTERNAL AUDITORY CANALS (IAC’s)

  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • You may have IV contrast for this exam
  • You may need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have a history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

LIVER PROTOCOL (For lesions or hemangiomas (vascular tumor)

  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • You will have IV contrast for this exam
  • You will need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have a history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

ORBITS

  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • You may have IV contrast for this exam (depending on fracture or abscess/infection)
  • You may need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have a history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

PANCREATIC PROTOCOL

  • Please do not eat or drink 4 hours prior to your exam
  • You will need to drink 2 bottles of barium 2 hours prior to your exam
  • You will have IV contrast for this exam
  • You will need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) done within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

RENAL PROTOCOL (ALSO CALLED CT IVP)
[If you have painless hematuria (blood in the urine)]

  • You can eat and drink as usual, prior to this exam
  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • You will have IV contrast for this exam
  • You will need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) done within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

SINUS

  • You can eat and drink as usual, prior to this exam
  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • No IV contrast is given

SOFT TISSUE NECK

  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • You will have IV contrast for this exam
  • You will need to have blood work (BUN & Creatinine) within 90 days, if you are 70+ years old, have a history of diabetes, of nephrectomy (kidney removal), of renal failure or renal problems
  • Please drink plenty of fluids after your exam

UROGRAM
[If you have flank pain and/or painful hematuria (blood in the urine)]

  • You can eat and drink as usual, prior to this exam
  • You do not need to drink oral contrast
  • No IV contrast is given

To view some of our pages such as the Weekly Employment pages and the Health Education pages, Adobe Acrobat Reader is required. If you need Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download a free version at this site:  http://www.download.com/3000-2378_4-10614498.html