Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Of The Spine: How To Prepare

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How To Prepare

Before the CT scan, tell your doctor if you:

• Are or might be pregnant.
• Are breast-feeding. You will need to use formula for 1 to 2 days if you are given the dye so that you will not pass the dye to your baby. You should throw out any breast milk you collect during this time.
• Are allergic to any medicines, including iodine dyes or numbing medicines (anesthesia).
• Have a heart condition, such as heart failure.
• Have diabetes or take metformin (Glucophage) for your diabetes.
• Have had kidney problems.
• Have asthma.
• Have had thyroid problems.
• Have had multiple myeloma.
• Have had an X-ray test using barium contrast material (such as a barium enema) or have taken medicine that contains bismuth (such as Pepto-Bismol) in the past 4 days. Barium and bismuth show up on X-ray films and make it hard to see the picture clearly.
• Become very nervous in small spaces. You need to lie still inside the CT scanner, so you may need a medicine (sedative) to help you relax.

Arrange for someone to take you home in case you get a medicine to help you relax (sedative) for the test.

Talk to your health professional about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, or how it will be done. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form (What is a PDF document?) .

Last updated:	July 19, 2007
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine, Paul D. Traughber, MD - Radiology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer