Can You See Poop in a Ct Scan
CT colonography
CT (computed tomography) colonography is a test that uses CT scans to check the large bowel (colon) and back passage (rectum). It'due south also called a virtual colonoscopy.
You take this test as an outpatient in the CT scanning (or radiology) section at the hospital. A radiographer or specialist md (radiologist) carries out the examination.
Information technology ordinarily takes around 30 minutes but you should wait to be in the department for about an hour or and then.
Why you might have this test
You usually take this test to help find the cause of your symptoms.
Before your test
You'll be given written data on what to do before you accept a scan. Your preparation starts a couple of days before the test. It'south important to follow the instructions so that your bowel is empty before the test.
You need to take stiff medication (laxatives) to empty your bowel the day before. Or yous might need to beverage a special liquid (contrast medium) called gastrografin over 1 or two days.
Gastrografin is a type of dye containing iodine. Information technology helps to make scan pictures clearer. It as well acts as a laxative and may give you lot diarrhoea.
Having gastrografin or laxatives will mean that you need to open your bowels oft, and possibly very suddenly. Yous might besides have some cramping pains. Information technology's sensible to stay at home for a few hours after taking gastrografin or the laxatives, so that y'all are near a toilet.
Yous might need to follow a low fibre diet for 1 or 2 days before the test. It'southward important to potable plenty of clear fluids such as:
- h2o
- black tea or coffee
- squash (without scarlet or purple colouring)
- clear soup
You may need to stop taking iron tablets or other medicines which tin cause constipation, for 1 week before the examination.
What happens
Before the scan
The radiographer volition explain the procedure and you'll need to sign a consent course. They ask you questions well-nigh your medical history and whatsoever allergies. Information technology's a expert time to ask your radiographer any further questions that you lot may have.
They'll ask you to change into a hospital gown.
You might have an injection of medicine to relax your bowel muscles. Midway through your browse yous too have an injection of contrast medium. This helps testify upwards the bowel more clearly on the scans. You have the injections through a fine tube (cannula) in your vein.
You lie on a couch on your left mitt side.
The radiographer puts a small-scale tube a few centimetres long into your dorsum passage (rectum) to pump carbon dioxide or air inside. This opens the bowel, helping to become clear scans of the inside of your bowel. You may feel uncomfortable and bloated. Rarely, people accept pain.
This 2 minute video shows how you accept a CT colonography.
Transcript
Having a CT colonography
A CT colonography is a exam to look at the within of your bowel.
Your bowel needs to be empty for the test so you lot have to follow a special diet for a couple of days beforehand. Ordinarily a low fibre or liquid diet.
You'll be given instructions about what you need to practice.
Before the test you lot take a laxative or a special liquid chosen gastrografin. This is a dye to help make the browse clearer but also works as a laxative.
You will take diarrhoea and then it's best to stay at dwelling house close to a toilet.
On the twenty-four hours of the test you tin go on to drink clear fluids upwards to a few hours before.
The radiographer puts a small tube chosen a cannula into a vein in your arm or the back of your manus.
You may accept a drug through this cannula to relax your bowel muscles. This reduces cramping during your exam.
You may need to take an injection of x-ray dye through the cannula. This helps to prove the other organs exterior of the bowel.
You lot then need to lie on your left side. The radiographer will put a small tube into your back passage to pump air or carbon dioxide inside your bowel.
This helps to open upwards the bowel to make it easier to run across it on the computer.
You may experience as if you need to become the toilet or to pass air current. Information technology is normal but try to keep in every bit much gas every bit you can.
Y'all and then accept 2 or three CT scans in dissimilar positions. All of your images will be looked at using a special computer programme.
This shows upwards whatsoever growths or aberrant areas on your bowel wall.
Subsequently the test you may feel swollen, take tum pains and pass wind. This doesn't terminal long.
To make sure you're ok you lot commonly stay in the department for 20 minutes. Then you tin go home and eat and drink commonly once again.
You commonly get the results within a couple of weeks from the person who sent you for the exam.
During the scan
The radiographer will so enquire you to prevarication on your front and the scanning tabular array moves into the CT scanner. The middle part of your body is in the centre of the ring. You volition be alone in the room while you have the scan. But they can nevertheless come across you and talk to you through an intercom.
You often have a second scan lying on your back. At certain times the radiographer may enquire you to agree your breath for a few seconds. Information technology is important that you prevarication every bit still every bit you lot can during the scan.
A computer matches the ii scans and makes a virtual browse of the inside of your bowel.
After your scan
Once the scan is finished, the radiographer removes the tube from your back passage, and shows you to the toilet. Yous might need to stay in the section for a short time afterwards the exam.
The radiographer volition remove the cannula from your vein and you can go home. You can usually consume and drink normally and take medicines as normal.
Possible risks
CT colonography is a very safe procedure simply your radiographer volition tell you who to contact if you have any issues subsequently your test. Your doctors will make sure the benefits of having a CT colonography outweigh the possible risks.
Dehydration
Immigration the bowel tin cause dehydration in some people. Information technology is very important to drinkable plenty of fluids before and after your browse.
Gastrografin can brand people feel or be sick. It may crusade a balmy rash but this is uncommon. Very rarely yous can have an allergic reaction.
Effects of dissimilarity medium
The injection of contrast medium might make you hot and flushed for a few minutes. You might become a metallic gustatory modality in your oral cavity. Information technology is mutual to feel warmth similar you lot are passing urine, merely you are not. This feeling goes away apace.
Very rarely, people have a reaction to the contrast medium. If yous feel ill or accept problems breathing during the test, tell the radiographer straight abroad.
Tummy (intestinal) pain
You lot may take some bloating or pain in your tummy (abdomen) after the test. This is due to the carbon dioxide or air put into the bowel. This should go away shortly after.
Tear in your bowel
There is a pocket-size chance of a tear (perforation) in your bowel. This is very rare. If information technology happened you would often need surgery to repair the tear.
Blurred vision
The medicine used to relax your bowel wall might cause temporary blurred vision. Yous shouldn't drive for an hr or so or until your vision has returned to normal. Tell your radiographer if you accept glaucoma or heart problems before you have medicine to relax your bowels.
Radiation exposure
CT scanners use x-rays to brand images. You volition be exposed to a small amount of radiation. You should not accept CT colonography if at that place is a hazard that yous are pregnant.
Getting your results
It tin can take upwards to 1 to 2 weeks to get your results. Y'all usually get your results from your specialist. Information technology is important to check with your dr. how long you should expect to wait for your results.
Waiting for results can be an anxious time. It might exist helpful to talk to someone close to you.
If you take not had your results a few weeks later your test, you could contact your doctor to hunt your results for you.
You can also contact the Cancer Research UK nurses on a freephone number 0808 800 4040. The lines are open from ix to 5, from Monday to Fri.
More information
We take more data on tests, handling and support if you have been diagnosed with cancer.
Source: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/tests/ct-colonography
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