How to prepare for your exam

# How to prepare for your exam

Arrive 15 minutes early, bring the things below, and follow the lines for your exam. Your appointment confirmation carries the instructions for your exact study.

## For every exam

- Arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time to complete registration.
- Bring the order form completed by your medical provider, your insurance cards and a photo ID.
- Bring payment for private pay or any deductible due at the time of service.
- We accept check, cash, money order, all major credit cards and CareCredit.
- Zero-interest payment plans are available for patient balances over $200.
- Tell us if any of your information has changed.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing and leave valuables at home.

## 3D mammography

- Wear a two-piece outfit to your appointment.
- Do not apply deodorant, perfume, oil, lotion or body powder to your breasts or underarms on the day of the exam.
- Deodorant, powder and lotion can show on the mammogram as calcium spots.
- Bring your most recent prior mammogram if it was done at a different facility.
- Tell the technologist about any breast symptoms or problems.

## MRI and MRA

### All MRI exams

- Do not wear any metal on the day of the exam: no jewelry, hair accessories, body piercings or metallic or shimmer makeup.
- Tell us if you are pregnant.
- Tell us if you have any of the following: a cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator, metallic implants, surgical staples, cochlear implants, prosthetic limbs, neurostimulating devices, shrapnel or aneurysm clips.
- When you book, also tell us about claustrophobia, kidney problems, diabetes, skin tattoos, an insulin pump or other implanted drug infusion device, metal fragments in the eye, artificial heart valves, a vascular stent or stent graft, dorsal column stimulators, an allergy to iodine or gadolinium, or past work as a metal worker. Our staff will tell you whether the exam can be done and whether it needs changes.
- Leave valuables at home. Jewelry has to come off before you enter the scan room.
- If you prefer not to change into a gown, wear cotton clothing with no metal zippers, hooks or buttons.
- Bring a list of your current medications.

### MRI of abdomen and pelvis

- Do not eat for 4 to 6 hours before the exam.
- Drink water only.

### MRI of the prostate

- Use a Fleet enema 4 to 5 hours before the exam. It is available over the counter at most pharmacies.
- Do not eat for 4 to 6 hours before the exam.
- Drink water only, starting the day before the exam.

## CT scan

### CT of abdomen and pelvis with oral contrast

- Drink the oral contrast one hour before the exam.
- You may pick up the contrast the day before at Castellano, Gateway or Lee Trevino, or arrive one hour early on the day of the exam and we will give it to you.
- Let us know which option you prefer when you schedule.

### CT exams with contrast

- Do not eat for 4 to 6 hours before the exam.
- Drink water only.
- The sheet says: no diabetic medication on the day of the exam.

### All other CT exams

- No preparation required.

### Questions before any CT exam

- You may be asked whether you are pregnant, whether you are allergic to iodine or any medication, and whether you have had head, heart or joint surgery or a joint replacement.
- You may also be asked whether you wear permanent eyeliner, whether you have ever worked with metal, and whether you have any metal implanted in your body, such as an artificial hip or a pacemaker.

## PET/CT

### All PET/CT exams

- Arrive one hour before your exam time for preparation.
- No cough drops, cough syrup, breath mints, chewing gum or anything with sugar, including sugar-free products.
- The sheet says: if you are diabetic, check with your doctor. Your blood sugar needs to be below a certain level during the exam.
- Bring any prescription medicine to take after the exam is complete.

### Morning appointments

- Nothing to eat after midnight. Drink water only.
- The sheet says: if you are diabetic, do not take diabetic medication on the day of the exam.

### Afternoon appointments

- Do not eat for 6 hours before the exam. Drink water only.
- You may eat a light breakfast that is low in carbohydrates and sugar on the day of the exam, but no coffee and no fruit.

## Ultrasound

### Abdomen, liver, liver with Doppler, gallbladder, aorta

- Nothing to eat for 6 to 8 hours before the exam.
- Drink only water on the day of the exam. A small amount of water with medication is fine.

### Kidneys, pelvis, obstetric, bladder, prostate

- Drink 32 ounces of water 30 to 45 minutes before the exam.
- Do not empty your bladder.
- Drink only water before the exam. No carbonated drinks.

### Kidneys with Doppler

- Nothing to eat for 6 to 8 hours before the exam.
- Drink 32 ounces of water 30 to 45 minutes before the exam. Do not empty your bladder.
- Drink only water before the exam.

### Thyroid and other ultrasound exams

- No preparation required.

## X-ray

- Come as you are.
- The image may be taken standing, sitting or lying on a table, and takes only seconds.

## Bone density

- Do not take calcium supplements for 24 hours before the exam.
- Calcium takes a while to dissolve and can sit over a bone, which gives that bone a higher reading.
- Vitamin D is OK.
- All other medication and supplements are OK.
- Wear loose clothing with no metal or plastic fasteners.

## Nuclear medicine

### All nuclear medicine exams

- Wear loose clothing.

### Bone scan, liver and spleen scan

- No preparation required.
- Bone scan: you get an injection, then come back 2 to 3 hours later for the pictures. Plan on about 4 hours in all.
- Three-phase bone scan: pictures are taken for 10 minutes right after the injection, then again 2 to 3 hours later.
- Liver and spleen scan: about 45 minutes.

### Gastric emptying study

- Nothing to eat or drink after midnight, not even water.
- The sheet says: no Nexium and no insulin.
- Bring a meat burrito with you for the exam.
- The exam takes about 2 hours.

### Hepatobiliary (HIDA) scan

- Nothing to eat or drink for 6 hours before the exam.
- On the day of the exam: no caffeinated or decaffeinated drinks and no gum.
- The sheet says: no high blood pressure medication on the day of the exam.
- The exam can take up to 2 hours.

### Nuclear medicine stress test

- Nothing to eat after midnight. Do not eat for 6 hours before the exam.
- Drink water only. No caffeinated or decaffeinated drinks and no gum.
- The sheet says: no high blood pressure medication on the day of the exam, but bring it with you to take afterward.
- Wear comfortable clothes for exercise: walking or tennis shoes, sweatpants and a shirt.
- Plan on 4 to 5 hours.

### Parathyroid scan

- No calcium supplements on the day of the exam.
- You get an injection, then pictures are taken at 10 minutes and again at 3 hours.

### Renal scan

- Drink plenty of water in the morning before the exam.
- The exam takes about 30 minutes.

### Renal scan with Lasix

- The sheet says: no diuretics or water pills, meaning medication that increases the amount of water the body passes.

### Thyroid uptake and scan

- You take a capsule, then come back 4 hours and 24 hours later for the scan.
- The sheet says: be off thyroid medication for 4 to 6 weeks before the study.
- No iodinated contrast for at least two weeks before the exam.
- Nothing to eat for 6 hours before the exam.
- On the day of the exam: no caffeinated or decaffeinated drinks and no gum.
- The sheet says: no high blood pressure medication on the day of the exam.

## Heart tests

### EKG and echocardiogram

- No preparation required.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing.

### Stress test

- The sheet says: consult your physician about going off beta blockers for 48 hours and calcium channel blockers for 24 hours before the exam.
- Do not eat or drink for 3 hours before your appointment. Water is OK.
- Wear comfortable clothes for exercise and walking shoes.
- If you are unable to exercise on the treadmill, a medication will be given to stress your heart.

### Cardiac PET/CT and calcium score

- Follow the PET/CT preparation for a cardiac PET/CT. Most cardiac PET exams take less than one hour.
- The calcium score is done on the CT scanner. Follow the CT preparation.

## Thyroid biopsy

- Do not use powder or lotion on the area to be biopsied.
- The sheet says: your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic and Tylenol before your biopsy.
- Our staff will contact you after the procedure to make sure you are feeling well.


## Ready to book?

Request an appointment online and bring your doctor's order. We take it from there.

- [Request an appointment](https://eforms.abbadox.com/240384671438865)
- Call (915) 577-0100