CT Scans and contrast injection .. Advice please?!
Question:
CT Scans and contrast injection .. Advice please?
Hiya, I am having a CT Chest/ Abdo with contrast and CT Pelvis with Contrast Xray examinations tomorrow. Can someone walk me through what the procedures involve please? I remember around 10 years ago having dye injected into my fallopian tubes and it hurt like crazy!!
Thanks :)
3 days ago
I have had high white blood cell count for a while now and suffer really bad night sweats so the hemotoligist (sp?) wants me to get this done.. is it just a needle in the arm for all body parts?
Answers:
Hi, I am a CT Tech so I will walk you through the typical cat scan. Number one thing. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before. If you have something in your stomach, the contrast will make you sick. You may have to drink some oral contrast before your scan, if so you would already have been told that. The technologist will probably have you fill out a questionairre or will ask you a set of questions about medical history, allergies, etc. The technologist should also inform you of the risks associated with receiving the contrast. The technologist or a nurse will start an IV in your arm. You will lie on your back on the table and the table will move in and out of the gantry (donut-shaped tube) The IV contrast will be injected with an automatic injector, and the machine will begin scanning. The chest abdomen and pelvis can all be scanned with one injection. There may be a delay of a few minutes or so between the abdomen and pelvis, as it takes about 4 minutes for the contrast to reach your bladder. Whenever the scan is done, the IV will be removed and you will be able to leave. The injection will temporarily make you feel hot, like a hot flash, it may make you feel like you are peeing in your pants and it may give you a metallic taste in your mouth. These symptoms are normal and only last a few minutes. If you feel itching or trouble breathing, let the technologist know ASAP as this could be signs of an allergic reaction. Let me know if you have any questions.