May 28, 2008

CT scan


Had my CT scan yesterday. According to the Mayo Clinic's web site, a CT scan
— also called computerized tomography — is "an X-ray technique that produces images of your body that visualize internal structures in cross section rather than the overlapping images typically produced by conventional X-ray exams."

I couldn't wear anything with metal. So I put on a sports bra with a cotton shirt and yoga pants. That way I don't have to wear a gown, which always makes me feel like a sick cancer patient. I feel like I have more control if I am wearing my own clothing.

First a technician started an IV in the vein inside my right elbow. She was good at listening to my concerns about being a tough stick, having small veins, and even used the tiny butterfly needle that works best for me.

Then we went into the scan room where I lay down on the scanner bed with my arms stretched out overhead. The tech injected the contrast dye and I immediately experienced the hot flush inside my body. The scanner bed moves slowly into the big CT donut hole and then a pre-recorded voice told me to hold my breath for each scan's duration, a few seconds. When we were done, the tech removed the IV. The whole thing took about half an hour.

I was nervous about the IV (don't like being stuck), hate the hot flush from the contrast dye, and felt generally yukky afterwards. So after running some errands, I came home and fell asleep. I would have been better off ignoring the errands and just taking the nap!

Results tomorrow......

No comments:

Post a Comment

Contributors