Exam Prep Instructions
Patient Instructions
Instructions for adults. Please call for instructions for patients under the age of 18. Click subject to reveal instructions.
Exam lasts approximately 45 minutes. Prep kit with instructions should be obtained at any SimonMed Imaging location at least two days prior to exam.
Exam lasts approximately 30-45 minutes.
Do not eat solid food 4 hours before your scheduled exam time. Please only drink water the day of your exam and drink enough to be well hydrated.
Please do not ingest caffeine 6 hours prior to your exam. This includes coffee, soda, energy drinks, tea, chocolate, and anything else that may contain caffeine. Our goal is to maintain a low resting heart rate for optimal diagnostic images. If you have been prescribed medication to lower your heart rate by your physician, please take as they have instructed. Do not eat solid food 4 hours before your scheduled exam time. Please only drink water the day of your exam and drink enough to be well hydrated. Your exam cannot be completed if you have taken erectile disfunction medication within 48 hours of your scheduled exam. Please arrive 30 minutes before your appointment time so prep may be verified.
Exam lasts approximately 45 minutes. No food or drink except medications 4 hours prior to exam.
You may eat and drink as usual and take all necessary medications. However, it is important that you do NOT wear any deodorants, powders, lotions, creams, or perfumes on your chest or under the arm the day of your exam. Wearing a two-piece outfit is suggested.
Please contact us to confirm specific exam instructions.
Please contact us to confirm specific exam instructions.
Please contact us to confirm specific exam instructions.
There is no prep prior to a bone scan. The patient may eat, drink and take medications.
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
Please drink 32 ounces of water prior to the scan. You may empty your bladder as necessary.
Please fast for 4 hours prior to the scan.
*Please discontinue all ACE inhibitors for 48 hours prior to your exam (Ace Inhibitor Examples: Benazepril (Letensin), Captopril (Capoten), Enalapril/Enalaprilat (Vasotec), Lisinopril (Zestril and Prinvil), Perindopril (Aceon), Quinapril (Accupril), Ramipril (Altace))
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes. Leave all jewelry at home.
15 weeks and under: Drink 32 oz. water 1 hour prior to exam and do not empty.
Patient is to have a full bladder upon arrival to adequately visualize the pelvic structures trans-abdominally.
The patient may continue a normal diet.
16-30 weeks: Drink 16 oz. water 1 hour prior to exam and do not empty.
Patient may continue a normal diet.
31+ weeks: No special preparation necessary.
Drink 32 oz. water 1 hour prior to exam time. Patient is to have a full bladder upon arrival for the exam to adequately visualize the pelvic organs trans-abdominally. The Patient may eat a normal diet. Do not empty bladder.
Drink 32 oz. water 1 hour prior to exam time so that a full bladder can be imaged if necessary. Patient may eat a normal diet.
Exam lasts approximately 1 hour for UGI. Small bowel exam lasts 1-3 hours. No food or drink except medications 6 hours prior to exam.
No food or drink except medications and sips of water after midnight for morning exams. For afternoon exams, no food or drink except medications and sips of water 8 hours prior to exam. No coffee, gum, or smoking.
Use two enemas (brand not important) prior to exam.
Use one, one hour prior to table time and second use just before leaving to come to the exam.
The patients will have 120 ml of ultrasound gel injected into the rectum prior to the start of exam. Female patients will have an additional 80 ml.
Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. You should be well hydrated. Drink 2 or more 8oz glasses of water. Please arrive in loose comfortable clothing.
Expect to be at our facility one hour after first steps of appointment, and then returning 3 to 5 hours later for imaging which will take 45 minutes to complete. If you are claustrophobic you may take medication not on the restricted list.
If nursing, you must refrain from breast feeding after exam and discard breast milk for 7 days. If desired, you can pump and store breast milk for 7 days prior to exam for use after exam is completed.
Discontinue the following medications for the length of time indicated:
- Ephedrine (Akovaz) – 1 Day
- Ketamine (Ketalar) – 1 Day
- Isoflurane (Forane, Terrell) – 1 Day
- Norephedrine (Phenylpropanolamine,
Sudafed PE) – 1 Day - Epinephrine – 1 Day
- Cocaine or Methylphenidate (Aptensio,
Concerta, Cotempla, Daytrana, Metadate,
Methylin, QuilliChew, Quillivant XR,
Ritalin) – 2 Days - Selegiline (Emsam, Zelepar, Eldepryl) – 2 Days
- Methamphetamine (Desoxyn) – 2 Days
- Mazindol (Mazanor, Sanorex) – 3 Days
- Modanifil (Provigil) – 3 Days
- Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva, Brisdelle) – 5 Days
- Memantine (Namenda) – 5 Days
- Benztropine(Cogentin) – 5 Days
- Fentanyl (Duragesic, Abstral, Subsys) – 5 Days
- Sertraline (Zoloft) – 6 Days
- Amoxapine (Asendin) – 6 Days
- Amphetamine or Dextroamphetamine
(Dexadrine Spansule, Liquaad, Zenzedi,
ProCentra) – 7 Days - Citalopram (Celexa) – 8 Days
- Escitalopram (Cipralex/Lexapro) – 8 Days
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban, Forvivo,
Aplenzin, Bupopron, Amfebutamone) – 8 Days - Cannabidiol (CBD) – 8 Days
- Phentermine (Lomaira, Adipex-P,
Suprenza) or Phencyclidine (Sernyl,
Sernylan, PCP) – 14 Days
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. Nothing solid by mouth 8 hour prior to exam.
Discontinue antacids/anti-emetics 24 hours prior to exam.
Please bring in your own egg white sandwhich consisting of two cooked egg whites and two pieces of bread (bread type is your choice). Make sure sandwhich is prepared without additives such as butter, oil, mayonnaise. If you are allergic to egg or vegan tofu is an acceptable alternate.
Please wear loose comfortable clothing and remove all jewelry.
If nursing, you must refrain from breast feeding after exam and discard breast milk for 24 hours. If desired, you can pump and store breast milk for 1 day prior to exam for use after exam is completed.
This exams takes a total of 4 hours to complete.
Discontinue Reglan for 24 hours prior to your exam*. Sedatives and narcotics should be discontinued 12 hours prior to your exam.
Please arrive 30 minutes prior to the exam unless otherwise instructed.
Nothing solid by mouth 4 hours prior to exam.
You will be at the facility for up to 3 hours for proper visualization of the gallbladder.
If nursing, you must refrain from breast feeding after exam and discard breast milk for 24 hours. If desired, you can pump and store breast milk for 1 day prior to exam for use after exam is completed.
There is no prep for this exam.
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
Please drink 32 ounces of water prior to the scan. You may empty your bladder as necessary.
*Please discontinue all diuretics 24 hours prior to your appointment.
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.
Nothing solid by mouth 4 hours prior to exam, water is ok.
Please follow the below medication guidelines unless otherwise instructed by your scheduler.
No CT iodine contrast 6 weeks prior to the appointment. Discontinue multivitamins 5 days prior. Change to sea salt instead of salt for 5 days prior. Refrain from seafood including shrimp and shellfish 5 days prior.
This exam will require you to return 4 hours and 24 hours after your initial exam time.
If nursing, must refrain from breast feeding and discard breast milk for 5 days. Please wear loose comfortable clothing and remove all jewelry.
* Discontinue the following medications for the length of time indicated:
One Week – Methimazole (Tapazole), Carbimazole, Multivitamins
Two Weeks – Triiodothronine (Cytomel), Prolthiouracil (PTU)
Three Weeks – Lougol’s Solution, Potassium Iodide Solution (SSKI), Topical Iodine (surgical skin prep)
Four Weeks – Synthroid (Levothyroxine), Thyroxine, Elctroxin, Levoxine, Iodinated Contrast Agents
Three Months – Amiodarone
There is no prep for this exam.
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
The patient must fast for 4 hours prior to the exam (water is ok).
Significant exercise should be avoided for at least 24 hours prior to the exam (running, jogging, sports, aerobics, weight lifting etc.).
If the patient has not avoided exercise for a minimum of 24 hours prior to the exam, the uptake of the tracer may be altered and may affect the results of the test.
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
There is no prep for this exam.
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
Drink plenty of water before and after exam. Scan should be performed prior to treatment with Long Acting Somatostatin Analog Medications
- Sandostatin LAR (Octreotide Long Acting Release)
- Signifor LAR (Pasireotide Long Acting Release)
Short Acting Somatostatin Analog Medications should be discontinued for 24 hours prior to scan
- Sandostatin (Octreotide)
- Signifor (Pasireotide)
- Somatuline (Lanreotide)
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
Since a PET/CT scan is an imaging technique that observes metabolic processes inside the brain, we need the patient to be at baseline metabolic levels. To achieve this we ask the patient to do the following:
Fast for 6 hours prior to the exam. Water is ok.
Limit carbohydrate and sugar consumption for 24 hours prior to the exam. Try to eat meals high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
*Diabetic Patients – Try to schedule your appointment when your blood sugar is lowest. Morning appointments are often the best time.
You may take ½ to ¾ dose of Long Acting Insulin in the morning. Please do not take any normal or fast acting insulin prior to your appointment.
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
Since a PET/CT scan is an imaging technique that observes metabolic processes inside the body, we need the patient to be at a baseline metabolic levels. To achieve this we ask the patient to do the following.
Fast for 6 hours prior to the exam. Water is ok.
Limit carbohydrate and sugar consumption for 24 hours prior to the exam. Try to eat meals high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
Limit strenuous exercise for 24 hours prior to the exam.
*Diabetic Patients – Try to schedule your appointment when your blood sugar is lowest. Morning appointments are often the best time. You may take ½ to ¾ dose of Long Acting Insulin in the morning. Please do not take any normal or fast acting insulin prior to your appointment.
Since the imaging room can be cold, please wear warm, comfortable clothes.
Leave all jewelry at home.
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SimonMed Imaging and its affiliates have been serving the community for over 30 years. Our mission is to provide best-in class affordable care through the use of advanced technology. We have patient-focused staff and highly trained medical professionals.
SimonMed has over 160 convenient locations across 11 states and provides late night and weekend appointments to accommodate patients.
