How to Prepare for Your Procedure

Preparation for your MRI

Patients with pacemakers, neurostimulators, or other implantable electronic metallic devices should never enter an MRI suite without first being cleared by the MRI technologist or radiologist in charge. If you have previously had any metal in, or removed from your eyes, you must first undergo eye x-rays. You’ll also need to remove all metal, jewelry, snaps, zippers, pens, pocket knives, pagers, cell phones, guns, ammunition, and the like. Anyone accompanying you into the suite must remove all loose metallic objects, as well as billfolds and purses.

Patients undergoing MR cholangiography of the bile ducts or gallbladder must go without food and drink (NPO) for 6 hours prior to their study.

Any questions regarding MRI safety should be directed to the technologist or radiologist in charge for the day.

Patients who are breastfeeding and whose procedure will require the injection of a contrast agent for an MRI exam will need to express and reserve milk before the exam, and express and discard milk after the exam as the contract agent will remain in the milk for 24 hours.

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Preparation for your CT exam

Please notify the Imaging Center where you are to have your exam if you are allergic to x-ray contrast dye, or if you have other allergies or asthma. If you have an allergy to contrast dye or iodine, please contact Anatomi Imaging before your scheduled exam, as you may require special medication prior to the exam. Preparations for specific CT exams are as follows:

No prep is required for the following CT exams

• Brain without contrast
• Facial bones without contrast
• Orbits without contrast
• Sinuses (screening and complete)
• Extremity without contrast (i.e. shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, foot)
• Chest without contrast
• Cervical spine
• Thoracic spine
• Lumbar spine
• Pelvis without contrast (for fractures only)

Use the following prep information for these CT exams:

• Brain with/without contrast
• Orbits with/without contrast
• Soft tissue neck with contrast
• Chest with contrast

Prep: Liquids only four hours prior to exam (patient should be well-hydrated but excessive intake of liquids is not required).

Use the following prep information for these CT exams:

• Abdomen with/without contrast
• Abdomen and Pelvis with/without contrast
• Pelvis with/without contrast

Prep: No food or drink for six hours prior to exam. Note: Diabetic and pediatric patients need to go without food and drink only four hours prior to the exam. Patient may also take necessary daily medications with small amounts of water.

If IV contrast is used, patients should be off Glucophage for 48 hours after the procedure. The generic name for Glucophage is Metaformin.
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Preparation for your fluoroscopy exam

Use the following prep information for these diagnostic exams:

• UGI – (i.e. Upper GI or Stomach x-ray)
• UGI with Small Bowel Series
• Esophagus
• Esophagus with UGI
• Small Bowel Series Only

Prep: Adult – no food or water after midnight. Pediatric – no food or water after 6 am. Baby – no food or water 2-3 hours prior to exam. Note: If your procedure is in the morning, you may bring daily medications with you and take them after the procedure is completed. If it’s in the afternoon, please take your daily medications as usual.

Use the following prep information for these diagnostic exams:

• IVP (Intravenous Pyelogram)
• Colon or barium enema (Lower GI)
• Prepkit needs to be picked up at any of our locations and started the day prior to exam.

General Prep Information

This prep is to be used for any x-ray procedure where bowel cleansing is required. Please read these instructions carefully. You may stop by our facility, and we will be glad to give you the appropriate preps, or your physician will give you a prescription for Magnesium Citrate Solution and X-prep, which can be purchased at your pharmacy.

Diet

• Clear liquid diet on the day prior to your procedure.
• Do not eat or drink after midnight. A small amount of water can be taken with medications.
• It is IMPORTANT to drink adequate fluids. After the prep is taken, you will have diarrhea, and if you do not drink fluids, you may become dehydrated.

I.V.P (Intravenous Pyelogram)

Ages 17 and up:
Contrast dye will be injected on the day of exam. Your meal that evening should be low-residue foods containing fruit, juice and vegetables cooked without fat or oil, dry toast or bread, Jell-O, and coffee or tea with sugar, but no milk or cream. EAT NOTHING AFTER MIDNIGHT.

Pediatric preps:
Ask your technologist, as preps differ depending on age. Please call 462-2000 for instructions.

All patients should be off Glucophage for 48 hours after the procedure. The generic name for Glucophage is Metaformin.

Barium Enema Colon, BAE and Lower GI

Follow Bowel Prepkit instructions. Prepkits available at any of our office locations.

Adult Bowel Prep

Follow Bowel Prepkit instructions. Prepkits available at any of our office locations.

Clear Liquid Diet

May consist of juices without pulp (apple, cranberry, grape, etc.) Broth, bouillon, plain Jell-O, coffee, tea, Coke, Pepsi, 7-Up, or other soft drinks. NO MILK OR MILK PRODUCTS.

Important Information

In no case should solid foods be eaten within two hours before drinking this solution. You may experience some abdominal bloating before the bowels start to move. Oral medications taken within two hours before or two hours after drinking the solution may be flushed from the bowel and not absorbed.

If any of the following situations apply to you, notify your physician BEFORE taking the prep solution:

• you have heart disease
• you are on a salt-restricted diet
• you are nursing

Barium Enema – Pediatric Prep

Ask your technologist, as preps differ depending on age.

Note: For IVP/Colon scheduled on the same day – Same Prep on Exam day, nothing to eat or drink (NPO) after Midnight.

Use the following prep information for a venogram:

Prep: No food or drink for four hours prior to exam time.
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Preparation for your bone densitometry exam (DEXA)

Wear a comfortable two-piece outfit without metal zippers, snaps, or under-wire bras. Bone densitometry should be scheduled at least a week after any procedure involving barium (upper GI series, small bowel series, or barium enema).
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Preparation for your digital mammography exam

Wash breasts and underarms. Use no deodorant, powder, or cream. Since you must undress from the waist up for the exam, you may wish to wear a two-piece outfit. Try to avoid scheduling your mammogram immediately prior to menstruation, as many women experience increased breast tenderness at this time, which may increase your discomfort during the procedure. No special dietary preparations are necessary.

Patients who have a problem with breast tenderness should discontinue all caffeine products at least seven to 10 days prior to the exam.

If you have previously had a mammogram at Anatomi Imaging (which is now closed), please let us know when your appointment was, so we can pull the films for comparison. If your prior mammograms were performed at another imaging facility, please inform us ahead of time or bring those films to your appointment.
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Preparation for your PET/CT exam

• Patient must not eat or drink, (except plain water) for 6 hours before scan: no gum, mints, candy, or anything that may contain sugar.
• Patient is to drink 4 – 6 glasses of plain water prior to arrival.
• Patient may take any necessary medications, except for diuretics.
• Diabetic Patients:
  • Check blood sugar two hours before appointment.
  • If blood sugar level is over 160, take insulin.
  • If blood sugar level is under 160, do not take insulin.
• No vigorous exercise 48 hours prior to appointment.
• Please arrive at the PET/CT Center 30 minutes prior to scheduled appointment time.
• Please allow 2 – 3 hours for PET/CT Scans: 3 – 4 hours if history of melanoma.
• Please inform us if the patient is claustrophobic. We may be able to administer Valium to the patient, provided someone else can drive them home.
• Patients with the following diagnoses will be given Valium and need someone to drive them home: Breast Cancer, Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and Head, Neck or Esophageal Cancer.

Dietary Instructions

Diet 24 hours before scan (unless on special diet by your physician).
Please eat high protein/no carbohydrate meals 24 hours before scan. No pasta, sugar, rice, potatoes, bread or fruit/fruit juices (see suggested meals below).

Suggested Meals

Breakfast

• 2 eggs, any style
• bacon or sausage

Lunch/Dinner

• Any type of meat (hamburger, steak, chicken or fish)
• Green vegetables, mushrooms, asparagus or broccoli
• Cheese

Snacks

• Salami slices w/cheese

• DRINK 24 OZ OF WATER the day of PET/CT scan; finish 1-2 hours before test.
• No food or drink 6 hours prior to arrival (except 24 oz plain water)
• No vigorous exercise 48 prior to arrival.
• You may take medication as normal, do not take water pills.
• IF DIABETIC – Please take blood sugar 1.5 hours before arrival, if over 160, take your diabetic medicine. If under 160, do not take it.
• If you think your blood sugar is too low, please call our office for instructions.
• Cut back or abstain from caffeine and the use of nicotine.

Should you have any questions or concerns about your appointment, please call 269-1738 and we will be glad to help you.
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Patient Preps for Ultrasound Procedures

Patients scheduled for gallbladder ultrasounds or abdominal ultrasounds should not eat or drink anything for 6 hours prior to the exam.

Patients scheduled for renal ultrasounds should not have anything to eat for at least 6 hours prior to the exam. Patient needs to drink 24 ounces of water one hour prior to the procedure UNLESS the patient is on fluid restrictions.

Patients scheduled for OB ultrasounds should drink 32-48oz of fluid 60 minutes prior to the exam. Don’t empty your bladder until the exam is completed. NOTE: Patients over 30 week’s gestation do not need to drink the fluid.

Patients scheduled for pelvic ultrasounds should drink 32-48oz of fluid 60 minutes prior to the exam. Don’t empty your bladder until the exam is completed.
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