CT Scan - Diagnostic Examination

Former patients have kindly given their accounts of their experiences when they visited the CT scan room.

Purpose of the examination:
To examine the pelvic area to assess the scope of a prostate cancer and search for any possible metastases.

Experience:
In advance I was sent a leaflet telling me of what I would experience including advising me of the risk from the x-rays. On arrival at the radiology department I was looked after by a radiographer who asked me to sit in a waiting area where I was given one litre of a flavoured water containing a small quantity of contrast. I had to drink a cup full every quarter of an hour over a period of 11/2 hours.

This over, I was taken into the CT room, asked to take off my clothes and put on a gown. A radiologist explained what the examination entailed and started by giving me an injection into a vein in my arm. I then had to lay on the CT couch with a cushion under my knees for comfort. The couch was then moved with my feet going first, until my pelvis area was fully in the toroid. The staff retired to the control room, where they could see and hear me at all times.

The couch moved forwards slowly in steps, and images would be taken at each stop, making a slight whirring noise. The whole process was very uneventful and quite comfortable. On completion I got dressed and was asked if I already had an appointment to see the consultant. I had, and was told the images would be examined by the radiologist who would issue a report to the consultant within the next ten days.

Duration:
The scanning process took about 15 minutes but I was about two hours in the department.

Side effects:
Apart from the injection and having a full bladder, I felt nothing and had no side effects.