Perth Radiological Clinic

Some scans require no preparation whilst others require you to fast from food for up to 4 hours before the procedure. Fluids are acceptable.
For some examinations you will be asked to drink a litre of water an hour before you arrive, while for others you may be given a special drink on arrival. These drinks enable us to better visualize the bowel and other organs within the abdomen. These instructions will be explained to you when your appointment is made. If you use reading glasses please bring them. Non-English speaking patients - please bring a companion who both speaks and reads English. Patients with Diabetes - please bring a list of your diabetes medication. Before the examination, you may be asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding your health status, medication and any known allergies.

For some examinations you may be given an intravenous injection of contrast medium to give additional diagnostic information. A consent form will be given to you prior to the examination explaining the procedure.

You will be exposed to a small dose of x-rays, however it is unlikely to cause harmful effects. If you have an injection of contrast medium you may notice a sensation of warmth and a metallic taste in the mouth. Very occasionally transient side effects such as nausea or an itchy rash may occur, but other reactions are extremely rare. If there is any chance you may be pregnant you should inform us before the examination.

You will be asked to lie on a table which is moved into the centre of the scanner. This contains the x-ray tube and sensitive detectors. These rotate around the part of the body to be examined but will not touch you. You may be asked to hold your breath for short times during the scan. You will be monitored by our staff, and should you need help, they are trained to give you all the assistance you require.

Most examinations are completed within 30 minutes, although attendance may take up to 1½ hours for some scans. On completion of the procedure the information from the scan is processed by a computer to produce cross - sectional and 3 dimentional images which are reviewed and reported by the radiologist. Due to the large number of images produced, and the complex post scan processing required, the review of these CT's can take several hours. The results will be sent to your referring doctor. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the clinic where your appointment has been made. Please bring any previous x-rays with you on the day your examination.

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