PATIENT INFORMATION FOR VIRTUAL CT COLONOSCOPY

Virtual CT Colonoscopy Scan

Patient Safety Tips Prior to the exam

• Please let us know if you have any allergies or adverse reactions to medications.
• If you are pregnant or may be pregnant, please tell your doctor or technologist.
• Inform your doctor, if you have heart, liver or kidney disease to be certain that the bowel prep is safe for you.
• Also let us know if you have had prior colon surgery.
• Please let us now if you need interpreting services, this can be arranged for you.
• Bring a list of your current medications with you.
• You will need to purchase the following laxatives at your local pharmacy:
  1. One 10 oz. bottle of Magnesium Citrate (commonly sold as Citroma)
  2. Four tablets Bisacodyl 5 mg (sold as Carter’s Little Pills, Dulcolax)
  3. One Bisacodyl 10 mg suppository (sold as Dulcolax, Fleet Bisacodyl, or Magic Bullet) Do not keep in a pocket or anywhere warm- it will melt.

Preparation for the procedure

• The day before the exam:
  1. Do not eat any solid food all day.  Drink clear liquids such as water, tea, juice, soda, broth, and Jell-O.
  2. Drink 1 glass of clear liquid each hour until bedtime.  Over the course of the day, drink at least 2 quarts of liquids.
  3. At 5:00 PM, drink 10 oz. of Magnesium Citrate.  The laxative may begin working within 30 minutes or it may take up to 3 hours.
  4. At 7:30 PM, take all four Bisacodyl tablets with one large glass of water.  This will generally produce bowel movements in 6-12 hours.
• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight, the night before.  Routine medications may be taken, unless you have been instructed otherwise.
• The day of the exam:
  1. At least 2 hours before the time of your exam, remove the Bisacodyl suppository from the wrapper.  While lying on your side, insert the suppository into the rectum..
• Arrive 15-30 minutes before your CT scan.
• The technologist will verify your identification and exam requested.

During the exam

• The duration of the exam will vary, but the average is about 30 minutes.
• The technologist will position you on the exam table, and give you instructions to lie still or hold your breath.
•  A small, flexible tube will be passed two inches into your rectum to allow air to be gently pumped into the colon.

After the procedure

• You may eat normally and you should drink about 5 glasses of water.

If you have any questions, please call the scheduling nurse at 415-353-4030.

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