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No medical test or procedure is ever fun, but it helps to know what to expect and what you can do to make it easier. These are our most common Diagnostic exams, with patient preparation and expectations for each. |
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Please call our Radiology Department at 304-598-1280 if you have any questions before you arrive. To check in for your procedure, come to the Radiology Registration area off the main lobby of the hospital. |
| Diagnostic Exam |
Patient Prep |
| Upper GI (UGI) |
Prep for Procedure:
The patient needs to bring a list of current medications taken. This medication list should include the name of the medication, dosage, and how often this medication is taken. The patient is to be NPO (which means nothing by mouth: no eating, no drinking, NO SMOKING), NO EXCEPTIONS, for at least 6-8hours prior to the exam. The patient should wear comfortable clothing with no under wire bras, no necklaces, and no metallic buttons. If the patient chooses to wear metallic objects in his or her clothing, then the patient will be asked to put on a hospital gown.
What to expect upon arrival:
The patient will need to arrive at the hospital for this exam 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time to register at the Registration Desk. The patient needs to bring the Physician's written order with him to his appointment. The Technologist will question the patient regarding medical history and then take a "scout" radiograph to show the "before drinking" x-ray. The patient will stand and be asked to drink some crystals mixed with water to form gas in the stomach. The patient will be told not to belch. While still standing on a table that is in the upright position, the patient will then be asked to drink barium while x-rays are taken. The patient may hear the technologist and radiologist talk throughout the procedure. This is to communicate which positions the technologist needs to place the patient for proper imaging, etc. Once all upright imaging has been completed, the Radiologist or Technologist will recline the patient on the table into a horizontal position. The patient will be rolled in various directions to "coat" the stomach with the barium. Once proper "coating" has been achieved, several more x-rays will be taken. The patient may be asked to hold his breath during x-ray exposures. The patient may need to drink a little more barium while lying in the horizontal position on the table. Once all images have been obtained and the radiologist checks all of the images, the patient will be released. The patient for an Upper GI should plan on being at the hospital for approximately 1 hour.
Discharge Instructions:
Barium has a tendency to constipate patients (young and old). The patient needs to drink plenty of fluids to try to avoid constipation. If constipation persists, even after increasing fluids, the patient should contact the ordering physician for doctor's orders. |
| UGI and Small Bowel Follow Through (UGI & SBFT) |
Prep for Procedure:
The patient needs to bring a list of current medications taken. This medication list should include the name of the medication, dosage, and how often this medication is taken. The patient is to be NPO (which means nothing by mouth: no eating, no drinking, NO SMOKING), NO EXCEPTIONS, for at least 6-8hours prior to the exam. The patient should wear comfortable clothing with no under wire bras, no necklaces, and no metallic buttons. If the patient chooses to wear metallic objects in his or her clothing, then the patient will be asked to put on a hospital gown.
What to expect upon arrival:
The patient will need to arrive at the hospital for this exam 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time to register at the Registration Desk. The patient needs to bring the Physician's written order with him to his appointment. The Technologist will question the patient regarding medical history and then take a "scout" radiograph to show the "before drinking" x-ray. The patient will stand and be asked to drink some crystals mixed with water to form gas in the stomach. The patient will be told not to belch. While still standing on a table that is in the upright position, the patient will then be asked to drink barium while x-rays are taken. The patient may hear the technologist and radiologist talk throughout the procedure. This is to communicate which positions the technologist needs to place the patient for proper imaging, etc. Once all upright imaging has been completed, the Radiologist or Technologist will recline the patient on the table into a horizontal position. The patient will be rolled in various directions to "coat" the stomach with the barium. Once proper "coating" has been achieved, several more x-rays will be taken. The patient may be asked to hold his breath during x-ray exposures. The patient may need to drink a little more barium while lying in the horizontal position on the table.
Once all images have been obtained and the radiologist checks all of the images, the patient will be given additional barium to drink. The patient will be instructed to walk as much as possible. X-Rays will be taken at 15 minute to 1 hour intervals, depending on the transient time of the barium through the patient's small intestines. The barium may move quickly through some patients, but slowly through others, so predicting the length of time for this test is difficult. The Upper GI and Small Bowel Follow Through patient should plan on being at the hospital between 1 and 6 hours. Again, the duration for the Small Bowel Follow Through is dependent on each patient's body, so the time varies. Once the barium has reached the terminal ileum (the very end of the small intestine), additional x-rays will be taken, with a small balloon used to gently press on the patient's intestines. Once all imaging has been completed, the patient will be released.
Discharge Instructions:
Barium has a tendency to constipate patients (young and old). The patient needs to drink plenty of fluids to try to avoid constipation. If constipation persists, even after increasing fluids, the patient should contact the ordering physician for doctor's orders. |
| IVP (Intravenous Pyelogram) |
Prep for Procedure:
The patient will be given bowel prep instructions by his or her physician to cleanse the colon. If the patient is full of bowel gas and/or stool, the quality of the exam may not be as good, so we do recommend that the physicians give orders to their patients regarding bowel prep. The patient normally preps 1 day prior to the scheduled exam. The patient should wear comfortable clothing with no metal around the waist/pelvic area. The patient needs to bring a list of current medications taken. This medication list should include the name of the medication, dosage, and how often this medication is taken. The patient should be NPO (no eating, no drinking) for 4 hours prior to the exam. The patient may take meds with a sip of water. The patient may need Creatinine labs drawn. (If the patient is 40 years old, or older, then Creatinine lab results must be obtained. If the patient's medical history indicates, the patient will need creatinine results even if under 40 years old.) Labs may be drawn prior to the scan date, so to reduce wait time, we encourage patients who need labs drawn to get them drawn at the hospital a few days ahead of time. If the patient chooses to get labs drawn at another facility ahead of time, then the lab results must be sent to the department prior to the scan date. If the patient is allergic to iodine contrast, the ordering physician is responsible for pre-medicating the patient for the iodine allergy, using a 24 hour pre-medication prep (the physician's office may call and speak with a radiologist if questions on how to pre-medicate).
What to expect upon arrival:
The patient should plan to arrive at the hospital 1 hour before the scheduled exam to register at the Registration Desk and to be screened. (The patient needs to ask the scheduling office what time the exam is actually scheduled to be performed. Often times, the office tells the patient what time to arrive at the hospital, but does not tell the patient the actual scheduled exam time.) The patient must bring the physician written order with him to this appointment. The appointment times for this type of procedure are approximate start times, not guaranteed start times, since some patients may take a little more time to complete this exam. We try very hard to stick to our scheduled appointment times, but the patient needs to understand that the Technologist spends as much time as required based on each individual patient's needs. The patient will need an IV started prior to the exam for IV contrast injection. Labs will be drawn, if required, based on the screening process. If the patient arrives for the exam and is known allergic to iodine contrast, but has not been pre-medicated, then the exam will be rescheduled for a later date or canceled. The actual procedure only takes approximately 45 minutes, but enough time needs to be allowed before the study to screen the patient, insert the IV, draw labs(if needed), and get the lab results back, all before the actual exam can be completed. Once the patient has the IV inserted and lab results back, the patient can then have his procedure. The patient will lie flat on his back. The X-Ray table is hard, so the patient may need to request a sponge under his knees to relieve some of the pressure on his back. The Technologist will take one initial "scout" x-ray prior to injection. The Technologist will then inject IV contrast into the patient's IV. This injection might make the patient feel warm all over, and may cause a sudden urge to urinate. These feelings will go away quickly. The Technologist will take x-rays every 5 minutes, with the patient moved to different angles to obtain the best possible x-rays. Once all images have been obtained, the patient will be asked to go to the restroom and void (empty bladder). An additional x-ray(s) will then be taken. The IV will be removed and the patient released. The IVP patient should plan on being at the hospital for 2 ½ hours for this exam.
What to expect after the IVP exam:
If the patient receives IV contrast for this exam AND takes a drug containing metformin, this drug should NOT be taken for 48 hours after the IV contrast injection. |
| Barium Enema with Air Contrast (BE with air) |
Prep for Procedure:
The patient will be given bowel prep instructions by his or her physician to cleanse the colon. If the patient is full of bowel gas and/or stool, the exam cannot be performed. It is crucial that the patient follows bowel prep instructions very carefully. If it appears that the bowel prep is not working, the patient needs to contact his physician to determine what to do next. Again, the Barium Enema can only be performed if the patient's colon is totally clean. If the patient has had a colonoscopy within the past 4 weeks, it is CRUCIAL for the Radiologist to know if a biopsy of the colon was performed during this colonoscopy. The patient needs to bring a list of current medications taken. This medication list should include the name of the medication, dosage, and how often this medication is taken. The patient should be NPO (nothing by mouth: no eating, no drinking) for at least 8 hours prior to this exam.
What to expect upon arrival:
The patient will need to arrive at the hospital for this exam 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time to register at the Registration Desk. The patient needs to bring the Physician's written order with him to his appointment. The appointment times for this type of procedure are approximate start times, not guaranteed start times, since some patients may take a little more time to complete this exam. We try very hard to stick to our scheduled appointment times, but the patient needs to understand that the Technologist and Radiologist spend as much time as required based on each individual patient's needs. The Technologist will take the patient to a dressing booth and have the patient remove all clothing from the waist down and put on a hospital gown(s). The female patient is encouraged to wear a sports bra with no under wire, or it will be necessary to remove the bra, as well. The patient will be screened for colonoscopy history and for medical history. A "scout" x-ray image will be obtained either in the upright position or with the patient flat on his back. The patient will not be comfortable on this x-ray table. The Technologist will insert an enema tip into the patient's rectum. The Radiologist will administer rectal contrast to the patient. Images will be taken with the patient rolling in different directions to obtain ideal x-ray images. Air will also be administered into the patient's rectum. This will cause minor cramping. To relieve cramping the patient needs to remember to take slow, deep breaths. Once the radiologist is done obtaining the necessary x-rays, the Technologist will then obtain additional x-rays, as instructed by the radiologist. Once the requested x-rays have been obtained, the tip will be removed (with a possible additional x-ray taken with no enema tip inserted), and the patient will then be taken to the bathroom, which is adjoined to the x-ray room. After the patient has evacuated all barium and air, it may be necessary to obtain additional x-rays, if the radiologist requests. The patient will be taken back to his dressing booth, and the patient may dress and leave. The Barium Enema with Air patient should plan on being at the hospital for approximately 2 hours for this exam.
Discharge Instructions:
Barium has a tendency to constipate patients (young and old). The patient needs to drink plenty of fluids to try to avoid constipation. If constipation persists, even after increasing fluids, the patient should contact the ordering physician for doctor's orders. |
| Barium Enema Single Contrast (BE) |
Prep for Procedure:
The patient will be given bowel prep instructions by his or her physician to cleanse the colon. If the patient is full of bowel gas and/or stool, the exam cannot be performed. It is crucial that the patient follows bowel prep instructions very carefully. If it appears that the bowel prep is not working, the patient needs to contact his physician to determine what to do next. Again, the Barium Enema can only be performed if the patient's colon is totally clean. If the patient has had a colonoscopy within the past 4 weeks, it is CRUCIAL for the Radiologist to know if a biopsy of the colon was performed during this colonoscopy. The patient needs to bring a list of current medications taken. This medication list should include the name of the medication, dosage, and how often this medication is taken. The patient should be NPO (nothing by mouth: no eating, no drinking) for at least 8 hours prior to this exam.
What to expect upon arrival:
The patient will need to arrive at the hospital for this exam 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time to register at the Registration Desk. The patient needs to bring the Physician's written order with him to his appointment. The appointment times for this type of procedure are approximate start times, not guaranteed start times, since some patients may take a little more time to complete this exam. We try very hard to stick to our scheduled appointment times, but the patient needs to understand that the Technologist and Radiologist spend as much time as required based on each individual patient's needs. The Technologist will take the patient to a dressing booth and have the patient remove all clothing from the waist down and put on a hospital gown(s). The female patient is encouraged to wear a sports bra with no under wire, or it will be necessary to remove the bra, as well. The patient will be screened for colonoscopy history and for medical history. A "scout" x-ray image will be obtained with the patient flat on his back. The patient will not be comfortable on this x-ray table. The Technologist will insert an enema tip into the patient's rectum. The Radiologist will administer rectal contrast to the patient. Images will be taken with the patient rolling in different directions to obtain ideal x-ray images. Once the radiologist is done obtaining the necessary x-rays, the Technologist will then obtain additional x-rays, as instructed by the radiologist. Once the requested x-rays have been obtained, the tip will be removed, and the patient will then be taken to the bathroom, which is adjoined to the x-ray room. After the patient has evacuated all barium, a post evacuation x-ray will be performed. The patient will be taken back to his dressing booth, and the patient may dress and leave. The Barium Enema patient should plan on being at the hospital for approximately 2 hours.
Discharge Instructions:
Barium has a tendency to constipate patients (young and old). The patient needs to drink plenty of fluids to try to avoid constipation. If constipation persists, even after increasing fluids, the patient should contact the ordering physician for doctor's orders. |
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