CT - what to expect
If you have any queries, before you come for your appointment, please call us on the telephone number indicated on the dedicated centre page in the 'Locate a Centre' section of our website, and our reception staff will be pleased to help. On the day of your scan, you will meet the radiographers who will look after you during the examination. When completed, the results will be interpreted by a consultant radiologist and forwarded to your referring doctor. Please note that all underwear containing metal needs to be removed. It may also be advisable to wear loose baggy clothing with no metal e.g. tracksuit bottoms, t-shirt, sweatshirt etc. and it would be helpful to remove metallic objects before your scan appointment, which includes keys. It can sometimes become cold in the scanner, so it may be advisable to wear socks.
Before your Appointment
It is very important to follow all the instructions given to you regarding eating, drinking and taking medication before your appointment. If you have any queries or need advice please contact us on the number provided in your confirmation letter or by contacting the unit in our 'Locate a Centre' section of the website. You may be required to arrive an hour before your scan time in order to drink some contrast agent (which is explained further below). You will be advised of this when making your appointment.
Ladies: if you could be pregnant or are in the first six months of pregnancy, please let us know.
If you need help because you speak a different language, please let us know when you book your appointment.
On Arrival
On arrival one of our staff will explain the procedure to you, run through a simple safety questionnaire to make sure you can be scanned and answer any further questions you may have. Some CT scans
a 'contrast' which can be a drink or injection, this is used to enhance the image and give a clear view of your condition.
The Examination
The radiographer will take you into the scanner room and position you on the scanner. During scanning we may ask you to keep still or hold your breath at certain times. The scan is completely painless; all you will hear are some mechanical sounds from the scanner.
During the entire examination, the radiographer can see you clearly and speak to you via a two-way intercom - so if you have any problems, you only have to speak.
Examination times depend on the area to be scanned. We advise you to allow up to an hour for the scan. For certain conditions an injection may be required to help the radiologist to see the problem more clearly. This injection is safe and will cause no after-effects.
