Quick Jump:

• CT
• GI
• MRI
• Nuclear Medicine
• Ultrasound
• Women’s Imaging/Breast Center

CT

CT – Abdomen without IV contrast

• No fasting required
• You must pick up 1 bottle of oral contrast prior to your appointment date.
• You must drink the contrast 1 hour prior to your appointment time.
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

CT – Abdomen with Oral and IV Contrast

• You must not eat or drink for a minimum of four (4) hours prior to your procedure.
• If you have a morning appointment, you will need to be fasting (nothing to eat or drink since midnight the day of your appointment).

• You must pick up 1 bottle of oral contrast prior to your appointment date.

• You must drink the contrast 1 hour prior to your appointment time.
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

CT – Abdomen/Pelvis

• You must not eat or drink for a minimum of four (4) hours prior to your procedure.
• If you have a morning appointment, you will need to be fasting, nothing to eat or drink since midnight the day of your appointment.
• You must pick up 2 bottles of oral contrast prior to your appointment date.
• You must drink the first bottle at bedtime the evening before your appointment; drink the second bottle 1 hour prior to your appointment time.
• IF you have an afternoon appointment you will need to drink the first bottle a minimum of 2 hours before your appointment time and the second bottle 1 hour before you appointment time.
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

CT – With IV Contrast

• You must not eat or drink for a minimum of four (4) hours prior to your procedure.
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

CT of Spine or Extremity

• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.
• No other preparation is needed for this exam.

CT Biopsy, Aspiration of Drainage

• The following medication need to be discontinued 7 days prior to your procedure: Aspirin products Asa, Bayer, Ecotrin, or any other Aspirin-containing products or blood thinners.
• Take nothing in your mouth after midnight the night before your procedure.
• Please bring a list of all home medications.
• Please bring a driver, and prepare to rest the remainder of the day following your procedure.
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

Special Procedures/GI Studies

Myelogram

• The following medication need to be discontinued 7 days prior to your procedure: antiplatelet, ticlopidine (Ticlid), Clopidogrel (Plavix), Abcizimab (Reopro), tirofiban (Aggrastat), eptifibatide (Integrillin), or any other Aspirin-containing products or blood thinners.
• The referring physician office will provide you with special instructions regarding anti-depressants and anti-inflammatory medications.

Barium Enema

• Note that this is an 18-hour prep.
• Pick up your prep kit at North Fulton Regional Hospital or Roswell Imaging Center 1 day prior to your scheduled exam date.  The prep should be strated at breakfast the day before your exam.  The kit contains full instructions.
• You will need to be fasting: nothing to eat or drink since midnight the day of your appointment

Upper GI Series and Small Bowel Series

• You will need to be fasting: nothing to eat or drink since midnight the day of your appointment

Special Procedures – Artiogram, Angiogram, Biopsy, Vertebroplasty, Epidural, Facet Block

• The following medication need to be discontinued 7 days prior to your procedure: Aspirin products Asa, Bayer, Ecotrin, or any other Aspirin-containing products or blood thinners.
• You will need to be fasting: nothing to eat or drink since midnight the day of your appointment
• Please bring a list of all at home medications.
• Please arrive 1 hour prior to your scheduled appointment.
• Please bring a driver, and prepare to rest the remainder of the day following your procedure.
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

MRI

General MRI Studies

• No Preparation is needed
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.
• If scheduled with sedation you must be fasting (nothing to eat or drink) after midnight if you have a morning appointment or a minimum of four hours prior to your procedure if you have an afternoon appointment; you must have a driver.
• If scheduled with anesthesia you must be fasting (nothing to eat or drink) after midnight, and you must have a driver.

MRI with Contrast

• Over 70: must have lab results of bun and creatinine.

Nuclear Medicine

General Nuclear Med Studies

• No preparation is needed
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

Nuclear Med – Gastric Emptying Study

• You must be fasting: nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day of your appointment.
• The patient must be off Reglan, sleeping pills, and tranquilizers for 48 hours prior to the procedure.
• If you are allergic to eggs, inform the nuc med staff as another type of meal will need to be provided.

Nuclear Med – Gallium Study

• Cleansing enemas 48 hours prior to the test.
• 3-day imaging study

Nuclear Med – Gallbladder

• You must be fasting: nothing to eat or drink for 8-12 hours prior to your appointment.
• No pain medications (opiates-morphine derivatives)
• Bring outside gallbladder ultrasound films and reports.
• Barium studies must be scheduled following the HIDA scan.
• CT studies must be scheduled on another day for optimal results.

Nuclear Med – Thallium Scan

• You must be fasting: nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day of your appointment.
• Wear comfortable clothing with tennis shoes so that you may walk on the treadmill.
• Bring a list of current medications that you take.
• You must be scheduled with a cardiologist.

Nuclear Med – Renal Baselin DTPA

• You must be off hypertensive medications and diuretics for 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.

Nuclear Med – Renal with Captopril

• You must be off hypertensive medications and diuretics for 72 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.

Nuclear Med – Thyroid Scan with Uptake

Ultrasound

Ultrasound – Abdomen

• You must be fasting: nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day of your appointment.

Ultrasound – Abdomen Aorta Renal Artery Scan

• You must be fasting: nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day of your appointment. (This applies to morning appointments only).

Ultrasound – Breast, Carotid, or Chest

• No preparation is needed
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

Ultrasound – Kidney/Renal

• You must be fasting: nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day of your appointment.

Ultrasound – Needle Biopsy

• You need to arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment.
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.
• The following medication need to be discontinued 7 days prior to your procedure: Aspirin products Asa, Bayer, Ecotrin, or any other Aspirin-containing products or blood thinners.

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Ultrasound – Needle Biopsy of the Thyroid

• The following medication need to be discontinued 7 days prior to your procedure: Aspirin products Asa, Bayer, Ecotrin, or any other Aspirin-containing products or blood thinners.
• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

Ultrasound – OBS

• You must have a full bladder.

Ultrasound – Pelvic

• You must have a full bladder.

Ultrasound – Paracentesis

• You need to arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment.
• The following medication need to be discontinued 7 days prior to your procedure: Aspirin products Asa, Bayer, Ecotrin, or any other Aspirin-containing products or blood thinners.

Ultrasound – Retroperitoneal

• You must be fasting: nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day of your appointment.

Ultrasound – Thoracentesis  

• The following medication need to be discontinued 7 days prior to your procedure: Aspirin products Asa, Bayer, Ecotrin, or any other Aspirin-containing products or blood thinners.
• If the patient has been on Cumadin, the hospital will need lab work – PT, INR, and INR – results 1 day prior to the procedure; Bring any outside studies.

Ultrasound – Thyroid

• No preparation needed.

• Bring any prior films and reports of any radiological exams of the affected body part that were conducted outside of this facility.

Women’s Imaging/Breast Center

Mammogram - Screening

• Do not wear any powder, perfume or deodorant.
• We recommend that you wear a 2 piece outfit for your comfort.
• If a prior mammogram was done at another facility, please be sure to bring the films with you to your appointment.
• Bring your doctor’s order with you if applicable.

Mammogram - Diagnostic

• Do not wear any powder, perfume or deodorant.
• We recommend that you wear a 2 piece outfit for your comfort.
• If a prior mammogram was done at another facility, please be sure to bring the films with you to your appointment.
• A doctor’s order is required; please bring it with you, or your physician can fax it to us.

Breast Biopsy, Aspiration, and Galactogram

• Do not wear any powder, perfume or deodorant.
• We recommend that you wear a two-piece outfit for your comfort.
• If a prior mammogram was done at another facility, please be sure to bring the films with you to your appointment.
• A doctor’s order is required; please bring it with you, or your physician can fax it to us.
• You must be off any aspirin or blood thinner product for  7 days prior to your procedure.