Patient Focused –
Medically Principled
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Diagnostic CT Appointment
HOW TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
We require a referral from your Family Physician or Specialist for a diagnostic CT scan. Your physician can fax a referral directly to us and we will contact you within 48 hours to book your scan.
Please click here to download our referral form.
If you have any questions about your CT appointment, please contact us:
Telephone: (604) 659-5244
Toll free: (877) 709-8522
Fax: (604) 709-6112
Your Diagnostic CT Appointment - No Contrast
Your Diagnostic CT Appointment - With Contrast
Your Coronary CT Angiography (CCTA) Appointment
YOUR DIAGNOSTIC CT APPOINTMENT
Preparation
There are no special preparations for your diagnostic CT. You may eat and drink normally, and should continue to take any prescribed medications.
Before the Scan
When you arrive for your appointment, you will check in with reception and be given a private change room, where you may lock your valuables during your scan. You will be asked to change into the gown that has been provided.
During the Scan
Our technologist will position you on the CT table. You will then be asked to hold your breath for a few seconds at a time while the table moves through the scanner. Although your scan will only take a few seconds, your total exam time will be about 10 minutes.
After the Scan
After a diagnostic scan, you will be free to leave as soon as your exam is complete. One of our radiologists will review the pictures that were taken by the scanner and a detailed report of all findings will be sent to your referring doctor within one working day.
YOUR DIAGNOSTIC CT CONTRAST APPOINTMENT
Preparation
If you are having a CT scan of the abdomen with contrast, please do not eat for four hours prior to the exam.
Before the Scan
When you arrive for your appointment, you will check in with reception and complete all necessary paperwork. You may be given an oral contrast half hour before your appointment time to further enhance the density of your organs. You will then be given a private change room, where you may lock your valuables during your scan. You will be asked to change into the gown that has been provided.
During the Scan
Our technologist will position you on the CT table. Depending on the area being scanned, the intravenous contrast will either be injected right away or after a series of preliminary scans. After the contrast has been injected, some people report feeling a flush of heat and sometimes a metallic taste in the back of the mouth - these sensations usually disappear within a minute or two. Some people experience mild itching sensations. You will be asked to hold your breath for a few seconds at a time while the table moves through the scanner. The exam will last anywhere between 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the type of scan.
After the Scan
You will be asked to wait in our reception for 15-30 minutes to ensure you do not have any symptoms of an allergic reaction to the contrast. After that, one of our physicians will let you know you are free to go. One of our radiologists will review the pictures that were taken by the scanner and a detailed report of all findings will be sent to your referring doctor within one working day.
YOUR CORONARY CT ANGIOGRAPHY (CCTA) APPOINTMENT
Preparation
After your doctor has faxed us a referral for a CCTA, we will call you to ask you some important questions and to set up your appointment. Preparation instructions will be given to you after the appointment has been booked.
Your appointment will take about one hour - most of the time will be spent setting you up for the scan. The actual scan itself only takes a few seconds.
Before the Scan
When you arrive at our clinic, you will be asked to review your paperwork.
You will then be asked to change into a gown. In the scanning room, our technologist will get you positioned comfortably on the scanner table and will attach heart rate monitor leads to your chest. This allows our technologist to calculate the precise moment for imaging, which is the fraction of a second between heart beats. The technologist will also start an I.V. line in your arm.
A cardiologist will review your chart with you, take your blood pressure and note your heart rate. Sometimes, a patient's heart rate is considered too high to get clear pictures of the coronary arteries. In this case, the cardiologist will administer a drug called a Beta Blocker via the I.V. line in your arm. It may take a few minutes for the Beta Blocker to lower your heart rate. Just before we are ready to begin your scan, the cardiologist will spray a little nitroglycerin under your tongue (this is to dilate the coronary arteries and allows clearer images).
During the Scan
The technologist will first do a test image to make sure that you are in the best position for the scan. We will use an automatic injector machine to inject contrast material into the I.V. in your arm. This injector controls the timing and rate of injection to coincide with the scans. We are now ready to start the scan.
You will be asked to hold your breath for approximately 15-20 seconds while we do the scan of your coronary arteries. Your scan is done!
After the Scan
We will keep you for about 20 minutes to ensure you drink plenty of fluids and that you feel fine. A doctor will check your blood pressure and heart rate and if everything looks fine, you are free to go.
The real work of the scan begins after you leave. CCTA generates approximately 1000 images of the coronary arteries. We will have both a cardiologist and radiologist review your scan and issue a report. The report will be faxed to your referring physician within two working days and a copy will be mailed to you.
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