In particular, when it comes to the abdominopelvic CT scan, your healthcare provider may ask you to take oral contrast before the procedure is done. This will help in highlighting specific body structures and organs so that clear images can be taken for accurate diagnosis. Here are some important things one needs to know about drinking oral contrast for a CT scan.
Contrast Drink for CT Scan: What to Expect
Just before your appointment for a CT scan, your doctor will give you certain instructions explaining how and when to drink the oral contrast. You will usually be provided with a bottle of contrast solution which is often barium sulfate based and needs to be ingested prior to scanning process.
How Long Before a CT Scan Do You Drink the Contrast?
When exactly should you take the contrast? The timing may depend on both the type of CT scan you are supposed to go through as well as instruction given by your healthcare professional. Normally, it is recommended that you take this mixture about sixty minutes ahead of the scheduled CT examination. Nevertheless, make sure that you strictly adhere to what has been communicated by health care giver.
Drinking Barium for CT Scan: Tips for Preparation
However, drinking barium sulfate suspension which is used most frequently in this kind of x-ray scan may be far from pleasant.Nevertheless, here are few suggestions to make the procedure more manageable:
Before drinking, chill the contrast solution since it helps with taste.
Drink the contrast solution in small sips and slowly so that you do not feel much pain and nausea.
Follow it up with clear fluids after taking the contrast so as to have it washed away and keep hydrated.
Can You Eat Before a CT Scan?
In most cases, your healthcare provider will tell you to avoid food or drink anything besides water for several hours before your CT scan. This fast is done in order for your body to easily assimilate the contrast material and give high resolution imaging results.
Best Way to Drink Barium Sulfate Suspension
However, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to drinking barium sulfate suspension; instead, follow your healthcare provider’s instructions. Nevertheless, if you:
Sip at the contract solution little by little
If that tastes unpleasant use a straw to bypass your taste buds
Drink lots of clear fluids afterwards to aid in flushing out any remaining contrast material
Can You Eat and Drink Before a CT Scan?
As I said before, it is mostly recommended to stop eating or drinking anything else apart from water some hours prior to the CT scan. This is for you to get accurate results in your tests, but you must follow what your healthcare provider has advised.
In conclusion, this technique is very important during the imaging process as it helps improve clarity and accuracy of the results (especially when the patient drinks oral contrast). By following healthcare provider’s instructions as well as applying aforementioned steps, one can have an easier experience and eventually obtain diagnostic images that are closer to reality.
