Please bring your referral (letter from your doctor) and your Medicare and/or Pension Health care card with you to your appointment. It is important to bring all previous films and reports relating to the region being imaged.

Depending on the area to be scanned you may be asked to follow special instructions.

The preparation could include fasting before your test. You will be given all the relevant information when making your appointment.

When the abdomen or pelvis is examined you may be given some oral contrast to drink before the scan. This helps to outline the bowel in the scan, making interpretation easier and more accurate.

You will be asked to fill in a consent form and provide all relevant medical history.

For some CT examinations an injection of contrast (x-ray dye) into a vein in your arm is necessary to make the image clearer or to give extra diagnostic information. Some people may have an allergy to x-ray dye. If you have had a reaction before, please let us know in advance. In some selected cases, pre-medications can be given to reduce the risk of a reaction.

If you are diabetic and take Metformin (also known as Glucophage, Diabex or Diaformin), then you may be required to stop taking the Metformin on the day of your CT scan and the following 24 hours. It is best to bring recent blood test (renal function) results with you. All other medication should be continued. We understand that some patients are anxious about having tests performed. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask our staff. It is important that you are on time for your appointment to ensure there is sufficient time available to perform the procedure. Please inform the radiographer if you are or you suspect you may be pregnant.