Here are some helpful reminders to give to your patients when you schedule them for a radiological study at one of our facilities.
| Examination | Preparation |
| Arthrogram |
- NPO 4 hours before procedure.
- Outpatient must bring someone with them to drive them home.
|
| Barium Enema - BE |
- Diet: clear liquids for 24 hours before the exam.
- Laxative (choice of) after evening meal.
- NPO after midnight.
- Enemas until clear.
|
| Bone Densitometry |
- Do not take any calcium tablet the day of the exam.
- No barium studies within 10 days of the exam.
- No nuclear medicine studies within 10 days of the exam.
|
| Breast Biopsy |
- Patient annot be on blood thinners or anything that acts like a blood thinner
- Patient should ear comfortable clothes
|
| Captopril Renography |
- All angiotension converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and Diuretics should be stopped 3 days before exam.
- Patient should not eat solids for 4 hours prior to exam.
- Encourage copious fluid intake. Have patient drink 4 cups of water 30 minutes before exam.
|
| Cardiolite Stress Test |
- NPO 4 hours before exam.
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes for walking.
- Obtain consent for cardiolite stress test.
- A cardiologist will be present during exam.
- Exam duration is 2 hours.
|
| Cisternogram |
- NPO after midnight.
- Must have signed consent form for lumbar puncture.
|
| Computed Tomography |
- NPO 3 hours before exam.
- If rectal contrast is needed, patient may pick up oral contrast the day before the exam. Otherwise, patient will be given an enema at the time of the exam.
- Please inform patient about possible intravenous, oral, and/or rectal contrast.
- Indicate if the patient has any history of allergic reaction to IV contrast.
- Begin contrast allergy prophylaxis, if necessary, the day before the exam.
|
| Cystogram |
- Inform patient that a foley catheter will be inserted during the examination.
|
| Gastric Empying Scan |
- NPO 4 hours before exam.
- For solid study, patient must be able to eat oatmeal.
- Please inform nuclear medicine staff is patient is vomiting.
|
| Hysterosalpingogram |
- NPO 4 hours before exam.
- Patient may have light breakfast if exam is scheduled in afternoon.
- Exam should be done within first 10 days of menstrual cycle.
|
| IVP |
- Diet: clear liquids for 24 hours before the exam.
- NPO after midnight.
|
| Mammography |
- Do not use any perfume, deodorant, or powder the day of the exam.
|
| MRI |
- A history/screening form must be completed before exam is done.
- Please confirm that there are no contraindications for MRI (pacemaker, etc).
- If sedation is required, NPO 4 hours before test. Driver must accompany patient into building to sign paperwork.
|
| Myelography |
- NPO after midnight.
- Patient must not be anticoagulated or be taking anti-platelet drugs.
- Notify department of any seizure disorder or epileptogenic conditions.
- Inform patient of lumbar puncture, and 6 hour bedrest following the procedure.
|
| Octreoscan |
- Mild Laxative (bisacodyl or lactulose) the day before the exam.
|
| Parathyroid Scan |
- The patient should be off all thyroid medications.
|
| Persantine Thallium |
- Notify nuclear medicine nurse if any of the following conditions exist: allergy to persantine or aminophylline, asthma, bronchospastic disease. If patient is taking xanthine-containing medications (for example, theophylline), notify cardiologist immediately. These medications should be discontinued 36-48 hours before exam, at the discretion of the physician.
- NPO after midnight.
- Obtain consent for persantine thallium test.
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes for walking
- Withold caffeine-containing medications and beverages (including coffee and cola), chocolate, and decaffeinated beverages 6 hours before exam.
|
| PET scan |
- Instruct patient to wear comfortable clothing.
- Patient should plan on being in the department 1.5 to 3 hours.
- No food 4 hours before exam.
- Drink 24-39 ounces of water over 2 hours before exam.
- If on diuretics, do not take medicine until exam is complete.
- If diabetic, test can be done before food/insulin in early AM, or at least 4 hours after food/insulin.
|
| PIPIDA/Cholescintigraphy |
- NPO 4 hours prior to exam.
- Patient should be off morphine or morphine-analogs for 4 hours before exam.
|
| Schillings Test |
- NPO after midnight.
- No vitamin B12 for 24 hours before exam..
|
| Special Procedures |
- NPO after midnight.
- Patients are usually done as same day admissions to the hospital.
- The following labs should be ordered: PT/PTT, Platelets, BUN/Cr, Hgb/Hct.
- Copy of a recent history & physical exam is helpful, but not required.
- Further instructions depend on the procedure. You may contract the department for more information.
|
| Stress Thallium |
- NPO 4 hours before exam.
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes for walking
- Obtain consent for thallium stress test.
- A cardiologist will be present during exam.
- Withold caffeine containing medications, chocolate, and caffeinated beverages 6 hours before the exam.
|
| Thyroid Therapy |
- NPO 2 hours before the treatment.
- Pregnancy test must be done, within 24 hours before treatment, on all women of child-bearing age.
- Patient should be off of all thryoid medications.
|
| Thyroid Uptake/Scan |
- Patient should be off of thyroid medications for the specified time: Synthroid - 21 days; Thyroxine - 21 days; PTU - 9 days; Iodinated contrast - 21 days.
- Pregnancy test must be done, within 24 hours before treatment, on all women of child-bearing age.
- All thryroid lab results should accompany patient to the department (T3,T4,TSH,etc).
- Thyroid testing should be performed before any test that uses iodinated contrast.
|
| Ultrasound - Abdomen |
- NPO after midnight.
|
| Ultrasound - Pelvis |
- Two hours before the exam, void and then Drink 32 oz. water or juice.
- Do not void again until after the exam.
- Note: it is essential to have a full bladder for the exam. For patients unable to take or hold fluids, an order for a foley catheter may be required.
|
| UGI - Upper GI series |
- NPO after midnight..
|
