
<b>What to Wear</b>

You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your imaging exams. Metal objects can affect some images, or be affected by the MRI magnetic field.  Avoid any metal on your person, including clothing with zippers and snaps and metal trims and underwired bras. You may be asked to remove hairpins, jewelry, eyeglasses, hearing aids and any removable dental work.  Women should always inform their doctor or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant.


<b>What to Eat and Drink</b>	

<b>Ask the radiology department about what to do for the specific imaging process.</b>  

You might be asked to refrain from eating or drinking anything for up to four hours before the exam.  For examinations that require an intravenous injection of "contrast" or a radioisotope, tank up on fluids, including salty fluids* like broth or bouillon, prior to the Oral Intake Cut Off.  This will help expand your blood volume, and make it easier for them to stick needles in your veins successfully the FIRST time.
[*If allowed by your other health conditions.]

If you are not on chemotherapy, and the imaging exam involves X-rays or isotopes, you might want to have a fair amount of anti-oxidant in your pre-exam meals [perhaps a liberal dosing of olive oil].  If you are taking treatment with chemotherapy or radiation, ask your treating doctor about this, because it might interfere with the treatment.

The CT scans often require an hour beforehand of drinking 'Sunny Delight', a contrast agent [barium suspension] which helps to indicate bowel on the scan.  Sunny Delight is generally acknowledged to be both disgusting in texture and disgustingly flavored.  We have been toying with the possibility of spiking the stuff with vodka or gin.  [Just kidding.]

You have to be there for the scans.  Why not enjoy it?  