Think of it as a giant donut with superpowers! In less than 5 minutes, a CT (computerized tomography) scan can layout detailed pictures of your insides. Sunnybrook’s 4 CT scanners do this nonstop, sending nearly 200 patients through the ‘giant donut’ every single day. It’s a common procedure, so what do you need to know if you’re having a CT scan?
First step: confirm your appointment. Then, make sure you don’t eat for 3 hours before your scan. The good news is, you can drink as many clear fluids as you want! In fact, before your scan, you’ll most likely be asked to drink a cup of water infused with a special contrast agent. Basically, that’s a dye that will make your inner organs easier to see. And drinking plenty of fluids before and after your scan will help that dye work its way out of your system.
It’s important to also leave yourself lots of time. Besides traffic and parking delays, you may also need additional blood work before you scan is done. That might delay things by 90 minutes, so make sure you have plenty of coin in the parking meter! It may seem like a pain, but the results from the blood work will help the technologist figure out which dye is safest for your body.
After that, it’s off to the change room and in to the infamous hospital gown. Some people may also require an IV if it’s determined that they need a special kind of dye. Now here’s the weird part: you will get a metallic taste in your mouth, and will feel like you’ve just urinated. You haven’t, and this is completely normal. These sensations also pass quickly.
When you scan is done, it’s a good idea to sit for a few minutes to make sure you are OK. After that, drink plenty of clear fluids and eat what you like. Donut anyone?
