Exam Preparation

X-Ray

Usually, all that is required for preparation for an X-Ray is the removal of jewellery and some clothing from the area to be examined. You may be required to wear a gown during the examination.

CT

Some examinations will require an intravenous injection of a contrast medium. This is often necessary to help differentiate the various types of tissue within your body. If your examination may require an IV contrast injection it is important that you follow the preparation listed below:

• Hydrate your body with plenty of water in the hours before your examination.
• DO NOT EAT ANYTHING OR DRINK ANYTHING APART FROM WATER for 2 hours before your appointment time.

The following anatomic regions often require an injection of IV contrast:-

• Head
• Neck
• Chest

The CT Abdomen and Pelvis scan often require an injection of IV contrast and the following preparation is required:-

• Hydrate your body with 1 litre of water in the hours before your examination.
• DO NOT EAT ANYTHING OR DRINK ANYTHING APART FROM WATER for 4 hours before your appointment time.

Please call our friendly reception staff if you have any questions.

Ultrasound

Preparations for ultrasound examinations:

Following the preparation instructions given to you by our reception staff before your examination is very important as failing to adequately prepare can affect the quality of the scan and the time taken to perform the test.

• Abdominal Ultrasound:

  Do not eat or drink anything from 6 hours before your examination. Do not smoke during this period either. An overnight fast with no breakfast and early morning appointment is the most ideal way to fulfil this preparation.

• Renal (Kidney) Ultrasound:

  Do not eat from 6 hours before your examination. This examination requires a full bladder. We recommend you empty your bladder 2 hours before the examination and immediately start to drink 1 litre of water and finish drinking 1 hour before the examination. Hold on to a full bladder until the staff member performing your scan tells you to empty. We require a full bladder but you should not be so full that you are in pain. A good idea is to practise the day before your examination the drinking preparation just mentioned and to adjust the amount of water you drink, depending on whether your bladder fills up slowly or quickly.

• Pelvic Ultrasound:

  This examination requires a full bladder. We recommend you empty your bladder 2 hours before the examination and immediately start to drink 1 litre of water and finish drinking 1 hour before the examination. Hold on to a full bladder until the staff member performing your scan tells you to empty. We require a full bladder but you should not be so full that you are in pain. A good idea is to practise the day before your examination the drinking preparation just mentioned and to adjust the amount of water you drink, depending on whether your bladder fills up slowly or quickly.

• Obstetric Ultrasound:

  • Dating scan / 1st trimester ultrasound

    This examination requires a full bladder. We recommend you empty your bladder 2 hours before the examination and immediately start to drink 1 litre of water and finish drinking 1 hour before the examination. Hold on to a full bladder until the staff member performing your scan tells you to empty. We require a full bladder but you should not be so full that you are in pain. A good idea is to practise the day before your examination the drinking preparation just mentioned and to adjust the amount of water you drink, depending on whether your bladder fills up slowly or quickly.

  • Nuchal Screening test:
    This examination is best performed during the 12th week of your pregnancy (by your last menstrual period or previous dating ultrasound). This is a screening test used to establish the level of risk your pregnancy has for Down’s Syndrome and various other chromosomal abnormalities. Following the ultrasound, you will be sent with a referral for a blood test to help establish this risk. This examination requires a full bladder. We recommend you empty your bladder 2 hours before the examination and immediately start to drink 1 litre of water and finish drinking 1 hour before the examination. Hold on to a full bladder until the staff member performing your scan tells you to empty. We require a full bladder but you should not be so full that you are in pain. A good idea is to practise the day before your examination the drinking preparation just mentioned and to adjust the amount of water you drink, depending on whether your bladder fills up slowly or quickly.

  • Morphology Scan / Fetal Anatomy Scan
    This examination is best performed during the 19th week of your pregnancy (by your last menstrual period or previous dating ultrasound). This is a screening test used assess your baby’s anatomy for any complications. We do require some fluid in your bladder for this scan; however we do not require you to be overly full. We recommend that you empty your bladder 2 hours before your scan and immediately drink 600mL of water and hold off emptying your bladder until the staff member performing your scan tells you to empty.

  • Fetal growth and well-being scan (3rd trimester):
    For this test, we do require some fluid in your bladder for this scan; however we do not require you to be overly full. We recommend that you empty your bladder 2 hours before your scan and immediately drink 600mL and hold off emptying your bladder until the staff member performing your scan tells you to empty.

Injections/Biopsies

Special preparations may be required for other examinations, so please phone us to make an appointment and our friendly reception staff will inform you of any preparation that is required.