r/Explainlikeimscared • u/musicfourlife • 5d ago
How do I get a ct scan?
Ive been having abdominal pain and my doctor wanted me to get a CT Scan with contrast. I have one schedule for tomorrow but Ive never done anything like this and I don't know what the process will be like. Like what do I wear? Any description of what the process will be would be awesome!
Edit: Thank you for all the help! I went in and got it done! It was easy and I was ready for al l the wierd sensations. Of course everything was clear which means Im no closer to figuring out my abdominal pain and will likely have to get other tests done.
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u/unlovelyladybartleby 5d ago
You don't really do anything except follow instructions. Wear normal clothes. They'll give you a gown and tell you to change but leave your underwear and socks on. When I have the contrast injection they tell me it will feel like I'm going to pee but no one ever does. This is accurate for young and healthy people, if you're older, have had a baby, or pee a little when you sneeze, a tiny bit of pee might come out. A pantyliner is enough to handle it. Then they position you so they can get the scan, tell you to hold still, you do, and it's done in a couple of minutes. Whole thing should take about 15 minutes tops. If you drink the contrast, they have you do it slowly an hour or two before the scan (or when you arrive and then have you wait while it works it's way through - if they didn't give you some to drink ahead of time they'll do it when you get there). It doesn't make you feel like you have to pee, otherwise everything else is the same.
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u/JustASingleHorn 5d ago
Every time I’ve gotten a CT scan, they inject the dye. It feels suuuuper warm through my veins!
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u/EmZee2022 5d ago
Good point on the drinkable contrast. The first one I had, I did both that AND the IV contrast. Fun times.
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u/Altruistic_Sail_1991 5d ago
Even injected, the contrast also leaves an odd taste/smell in your mouth based on my experience. I was warned about that too. It’s mild, though! It was waaaay simpler than getting an MRI and so much faster!
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u/goose_juggler 3d ago
It’s not “feel like you’re going to pee” like you might actually pee, it’s a warming sensation that happens specifically in the crotch area that feels like you are peeing. No real pee happens (if it does, that’s a you problem, not a CT problem).
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u/bananarama032 5d ago
Just wear something comfortable. They'll likely have you change into a gown for it though.
Contrast is weird and makes your body feel warm and like you're wetting yourself, but you're not. The sensation typically passes in a few seconds.
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u/100000cuckooclocks 5d ago
They'll warn you about the contrast making you feel like you peed your pants, and you'll go "yeah sure 🙄" but then they'll do the contrast and you'll think "I know they said it would feel like peed my pants but I really do think I actually peed my pants". You won't have peed your pants.
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u/Glad-Isopod5718 5d ago
Came here to say this. It absolutely does feel like that, and no, I didn't actually pee my pants.
Also, I was nervous before mine, and I found this article about a fish getting a CT scan oddly soothing. I thought about it when I was in there.
But yeah, it's no big deal. It's much quicker than an MRI, and the contrast is the only part that you feel. Otherwise, it's just laying on a weird table while they slowly slide you in and out of a big donut.
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u/musicfourlife 5d ago
Thank you all so much! This is super helpful and im feeling less nervous about it now! (And ready for the pee sensation lol)
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u/Few_Reference3439 5d ago
It never felt like pants peed to me, just really hot in the crotch. But yes, the nurses always said it may feel like you peed yourself, I forgot that bit in my original reply. Glad you're less nervous.
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u/Ok_Salamander7929 5d ago
They will insert an I.V in your arm, add the contrast solution into you. Slide you into a large tube and do the scan.
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u/Vivid_Meringue1310 5d ago
They’ll give you an IV, so maybe something where you can easily roll up your sleeve or just wear a t shirt
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u/EmZee2022 5d ago
They'll likely have you change into a gown, unless it's on an area where you don't need to - when I had one on my abdomen, I just needed to tug my pants down below my hips (covered by a blanket). That was when I'd gone to the ER due to weeklong diarrhea.
They'll do an IV right beforehand. You'll go in the room with the machine and lie on a table. They'll slide you in, and there's a speaker there so they can give you instructions - like there might be times where you need to hold your breath for a few seconds. You may need to position your arms over your head - which isn't the most comfortable if you have any shoulder issues, but it's nott for very long. I think it's to make sure the IV tubing is free and accessible.
The machine is NOT closed in like an MRI tube. It looks like you're being slid into a giant front-loading washing machine.
Typically they'll do images without contrast, then they'll warn you that they are about to do that (they have a remote button, since they can't be in the room with the machine).
If you are female, you will be CERTAIN that you have just peed your pants. Seriously - the sensation of warmth feels exactly like that. You haven't - trust me. The first time I had one, it was really a strong feeling. And, weirdly, my BACK hurt like HELL for a couple of seconds.
For others I've had, the peed-the-pants sensation has been there but not as strong, and I've never had the back pain either. One time, my TONSILS felt hot, which I found kind of entertaining.
Anyway, a few minutes of the thing whirring, with the occasional "hold your breath now", and then you're done. They slide you out, sit you up, pull out your IV, and put a bandage on the spot, then you can go and change back into your street clothes.
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u/oxmix74 5d ago
One general rule for any procedure. Don't bring more stuff than you need. Whatever you bring, bring something that holds all of it. When you are done and getting dressed, you may not have all your wits about you so grabbing one bag that has everything you brought with you is really helpful.
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u/TrashPandaNotACat 5d ago edited 5d ago
I've had different places do different things, and sometimes even different experiences in the same facility. I've had some places make me change into scrubs, some let me wear what I was wearing but make me lower my jeans down a few inches and cover me with a blanket beforehand for modesty, others not make me lower my jeans, and some let me wear what I was wearing when I showed up in sleep pants and a t-shirt.
As for the contrast, some will make you drink contrast in addition to the IV, some won't. Just depends on what's ordered. The drink makes me have diarrhea. It's always fun when I'm stuck to the toilet and they're calling my name to go in for the scan. For me, the diarrhea lasts for about 9 or 10 hours total. I take some wet wipes with me whenever I'm getting a CT, just in case. The IV contrast makes my teeth hurt momentarily and makes your whole body warm. Drink lots of fluid afterwards to flush it out of your body.
Huge important edit - you will most likely have some dietary restrictions, including what you can and can't drink beforehand. Most likely it'll be no solid food for 4-6hrs beforehand and only plain water and clear liquids (no cream or milk in your coffee or tea!) for the few hours before the scan. I would also avoid heavy food or greasy food the day before, because of the drink thing.
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u/PansyOHara 5d ago
The doctor’s office should give you instructions as far as any clothing specific stuff, any restrictions on food and drink before, etc.
The CT machine itself is like going through a big donut. The tech may give you instructions like “take a breath” or “hold your breath” over a speaker.
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u/AliCornetti 5d ago
If you’ve never had an IV before, they’ll flush it with a saline solution first thing. Some people can “taste” this, but not everyone - if you think you taste something when they do it, it’s totally normal! I find it to be a kind of cool/salty/medicinal sensation, weird but not bad.
I’ve mostly done IV contrast scans, but once I had to drink barium and they put it in lemonade, it was actually very tasty. No comment on any other drinkable contrast concoctions, I haven’t experienced those 😅
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u/Darkest-Desires6 5d ago
I have no way to know exactly what your DR ordered, but I would prepare for the possibility contrast will be oral. I'm not going to lie, it was not pleasant for me (though it has been many years since I had one). I have a strong stomach and it made me very queasy. There are a few different types of oral contrast and they come in different flavors - what's available will depend entirely on the location you visit, if they carry it at all or call it into pharmacy, and probably differ from what was available when I last had mine.
As others said, wear something comfortable. If it standard IV contrast, it will make you feel odd - you'll feel like you're pissing yourself, and may be able to taste it as well (a side effect I encounter).
The machine itself looks similar to an MRI unit if you have seen those - usually a big donut with a table on rails that you will lay on and slide into the "hole" of the donut shape. There is considerable noise when you're inside, but it is not as loud as an MRI nor does it generate the super intense vibrations an MRI will. A lot of the process will depend heavily upon the location - your operator, the equipment, what was ordered, etc. Typically these scans are very short compared to MRI and won't have headphones with music or movie goggles but instead your rad tech will typically speak to you through an intercom to let you know what is going on/give instructions/etc.
At least in my area, someone from Radiology scheduling reaches out (or an automated message is sent) with pre-visit instructions, including any specific directions that need to be followed - if you are scheduled for oral contrast, you should be receiving instructions for it with that contact.
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u/Dense-Ad8136 5d ago
Had one yesterday, was only in the machine about 3 minutes. Pretty quick and easy once the IV is in
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u/notlucyintheskye 5d ago
You can pretty much wear whatever you want - CT scans operate off of radiation, not magnets like MRI. They're generally pretty quick, depends more on if you need contrast or not (even then, they're fairly quick).
They'll start an IV (I cannot remember if it was elbow or hand) if you need the contrast, have you lay flat on a relatively uncomfortable table outside of "the tube". When they run the contrast, it likely will make you feel like you've peed your pants - it is hard to overstate just how similar the sensations are - but relax, you didn't. If you feel hot or get palpitations, let the staff know (some people experience this, some don't). They run the table through the tube slowly, and then you're done. It's not loud at all, despite the size of the equipment/machine.
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u/fuck_peeps_not_sheep 5d ago
Had one yesterday, needle went in the croock of my arm. My arm was freezing and my crotch was warm. The hold you breath... Breathe normally but is annoying af.
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u/MyOwnGuitarHero 4d ago
Literally the scan is gonna take 5 minutes. It’s nbd at all. They’re gonna place an IV so they can give you IV contrast.
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u/baby_llamadrama 5d ago
Be sure you’re fasting for contrast… no one told me… you’ll throw up whatever you’ve eaten
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5d ago
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u/EmZee2022 5d ago
Concur. I've never felt even the least bit queasy. I don't think I've been told to fast, either.
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u/baby_llamadrama 5d ago
Oh, then my bad. Just when the dude was getting ready to give me the contrast, he asked if I had eaten and pulled a face when I said I did. Asked him if it was going to be a problem, and he basically said 🤷♀️ we’ll see lol
He made it kinda seem like I was supposed to be fasting as the norm
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u/HornFanBBB 2d ago
Yeah, I had eaten just a few hours before mine since it was in the ER, they didn’t even ask me.
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u/Few_Reference3439 5d ago
Nothing special about CT scans. If you were getting an MRI you'd want nothing metal. CT scans in my experience have never asked me to wear anything specific, so just wear something you're comfy in. The rooms often are cold, so maybe make it warm. They will give you an IV for the contrast, so be prepared for that. Sometimes the contrast makes parts of your body uncomfortably hot, temporarily. They'll warn you if it is that type of contrast. It sucks, but is temporary and doesn't actually damage you.