ON THE DAY OF YOUR CORONARY ANGIOGRAM, DO NOT FORGET TO BRING WITH YOU
- Previous scans of your heart / coronary arteries (i.e. heart ultrasound, coronary angiography) and medical history
- Α Medical note from your physician stating the type of bypass or the number and exact position of your stents. You can find a template in our website.
- The exam requisition
- A copy of the creatinine blood test result, if the test has been done at an outside facility
- The contrast medium (eg. IOMERON 40% 200ml, ULTRAVIST 370 200ml)
- Any official document for identification purposes (i.e. passport, ID) and your SSN
HOW THE SCAN IS PERFORMED
Before your scan, you will be asked to fill in a questionnaire. A nurse will take your medical history (you will need to inform us on your medications) and measure your vital signs. You may receive medication to slow your heart rate. Doing so provides clearer images on the CT scan, so you will probably need to wait for a while, till the medicines take effect.
A radiation technologist will explain you how to follow the breathing instructions you will hear during your scan via intercom. This is important to avoid blurring the images of your exam.
The process typically takes no more than 5 min.
HOW TO PREPARE
The test requires a low and steady heart rate. If your resting heart rate exceeds 70 beats/min, contact your cardiologist to give you the medication you need to take for a few days before the test.
You will be administered with intravenous contrast medium, therefore creatinine blood test is required within 30 days prior to your examination day. You may have the blood test on the day of your scan in our premises. Please allow 1 hour before your scan to get the result.
You may take your medications at their normal time. Avoid caffeinated drinks 12 hours before your test (e.g. coffee, tea, cola drinks).
It is advised to wear clothing and accessories that can be easily removed, because you may be asked to take them off during the exam.
- Women
If there is ANY chance that you may be pregnant let your doctor know before proceeding with the preparation and/or examination. - Allergies
If you have a history of drug allergy to CT contrast medium, please contact us at 210 4807082, 08:00-16:00. Your ordering physician is responsible for prescribing the pre-medications for you. The following pre-medications are usually recommended:
- 12 hours prior to your scan, 2 pills Medrol 16mg
- 2 hours before your scan, 2 pills Medrol 16mg
- 1 hour before your scan 1 pill Zirtek 5mg
- Diabetic Patients
If you are a diabetic patient taking any medication that contains Metformin, you must follow up with your physician for instructions on when to resume this medication.
WHEN YOU SHOULD COME
Please arrive 30’ before your appointment, to complete registration and your preparation.
AFTER YOUR SCAN
After the exam you can return to your normal routine. In some cases, you may be asked to wait for a short time before leaving to ensure that you feel well after the exam. After the scan, you will likely be told to drink lots of fluids to help your kidneys remove the contrast material from your body.
YOUR RESULTS
On the day of your exam, our staff will inform you when to expect your result. Your report will be sent to you via email, while your electronic images will also be available in My Ygeia.
Download the brochure Here