TBSI Imaging

PRE-EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS

CT SCAN

1. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your exam and allow up to an hour for the visit.
2. Bring with you to your appointment a list of all your prescribed and over-the-counter medications.
3. Patient preparation for all CT Scans consist of nothing to eat or drink for 3 hours prior to appointment unless otherwise instructed, i.e. medications. Any medication that is needed should be taken as prescribed with a small amount of water, unless otherwise instructed by your physician.
4. CT Scans with oral contrast: if you are having a CT of the abdomen or pelvis, pick up the ReadiCat II preparation materials at our office at least one day before your exam.
5. CT Scans with IV contrast:
• All patients 50 years of age or older and outpatients with a history of renal disease must have a documented recent (14 days or less) plasma creatinine before contrast CT exam can be performed.
• If you have any known allergies to dye or iodine, contact your physician's office for preprocedure allergy preparation medication.
• If you are diabetic and taking a medication that contains metformin, it should be discontinued at the time of or prior to your examination. It should not be taken for the 48 hours after your examination. At that time, your kidney function should be re-evaluated by your physician, and you should not start taking metformin again until kidney function has been found to be normal.

MRI SCAN

1. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your exam and allow up to two hours for the visit.
2. If you have a pacemaker, a neurostimulator, cardioverter defibrillators, programmable shunt, or any other implantable device, please bring with you to your appointment any product identification information provided to you at the time of the implant.
3. If you have a fear of confined spaces, please let your doctor know when he or she is scheduling your MRI exam. Your physician may need to prescribe medicine for your claustrophobia that you will need to bring with you to your appointment. Also, please be sure to ask about the impact of such medicine on your ability to drive after your appointment.
4. MRI scans with IV contrast or IV sedation:
• Bring with you to your appointment a list of all prescribed and over-the-counter medications you are currently taking.
• All patients 50 years of age or older and outpatients with a history of renal disease must have a documented recent (14 days or less) plasma creatinine before contrast MRI exam can be performed.
• If you are on dialysis, you must have a scheduled dialysis appointment the day after receiving MRI contrast.
• If you doctor has ordered IV (moderate) sedation for your procedure, do not eat or drink anything six hours before your exam. You may take scheduled medications with sips of water.