General Exam Prep Instructions

General Prep Instructions

1. Arrive at the specified time to allow for registration and exam preparation.

2. Notify us upon arrival of any special needs or allergies

3. Bring insurance card and authorization or worker's comp information.

4. Plan to pay required co-pays at the time of service.

5. Wear comfortable clothing.

6. To insure the highest quality procedure in a safe environment, we are unable to provide child care services for you at the time of your examination. Please do not bring unattended children to the imaging center.

MRI Avoid metal in clothing and personal items For abdominal exam, do not eat or drink for at least 4 hours prior to the exam. PET Do not eat or drink after 12 midnight the night before your exam. Do not eat breath mints or chewing gum Patients using medication: Follow instruction given by IHS (IHS) staff. Do not exercise prior to your exam on the day of your PET study. CT / Upper GI / Abdominal Ultrasound Do not eat or drink after midnight prior to the exam, except for medication with small amounts of water. If you are scheduled for an IV contrast injection, myelogram, or biopsy do not eat or drink for 4 hours prior to your arrival time. For patients having these procedures, check with your doctor or us if you take Insulin or have an allergic history. Mammography Be prepared to remove any powders, perfumes, or deodorants prior to the exam. Wear a two-piece outfit.

Virtual Colonoscopy / Barium Enema / IVP Follow the 18 hour instructions in the "FLEETS B.E. PREPARED KIT #1." For IVP only, omit the suppository. Pick up the kit at least 24 hours prior to the exam from your doctor's office, pharmacy, or us. For virtual colonoscopy, it is important to tag any residual stool that remains in the colon following the 18 hour Fleets bowel prep. We recommend Tagitol. This is a pleasant flavored high density barium preparation that is taken orally with the bowel prep. It is very important that you obtain Tagitol from one of our Imaging Centers before you begin the bowel prep. Studies have shown that stool tagging improves the accuracy of the virtual colon exam. Pelvic / Obstetrical Ultrasound You must fill your bladder by drinking 48 oz. of water - begin drinking 90 minutes prior to the exam and complete drinking water one hour before your exam time. DO NOT EMPTY YOUR BLADDER. For pregnancies over 20 weeks, only 32 oz. of water is required. DO NOT EMPTY YOUR BLADDER. Nuclear / Other No special preparations required, unless indicated at the time of scheduling.