Exam Preparations
Please choose your exam below to get preparation information, or read Frequently Asked Questions.
MRI Instructions
Abdomen / Pelvis and Exams Requiring Contrast Injection – Nothing to eat or drink 3 hours prior to exam.
Head / Neck – Do not wear any eye make-up.
All other MRI Exams – There is no dietary restrictions prior to your MRI examination.
Please call our office before your appointment if any of the following apply:
- Surgical Vascular Clips
- Neurostimulaters
- Cochlear Implants
- IVC Filter
- Breast Tissue Expander
- Penile Implants
- Pacemaker
- Claustrophobia
- Silver Backed Dermal Patches
CT Scan
If you have a history of an allergy to iodinated contrast, asthma, or a strong allergic history, please notify our office when scheduling the examination. Premedication may be necessary depending on the clinical history. If premedication is indicated, the radiologist or referring physician can call your pharmacy. Upon arrival at the office, please notify the front desk staff and the technologist that you have an allergic history, or have been premedicated.
Nothing to eat / no eating or drinking.
Head / Neck / Chest CT – Nothing to eat or drink 3 hours prior to the examination.
Abdomen/Pelvis CT: No eating or drinking for 3 hours prior to exam acceptable. Liquids include clear juices such as apple, cranberry and grape, clear soups, Jell-0, coffee or tea. No milk products or carbonated beverages.
Spine / Bone / Joint CT – No preparation necessary.
Ultrasound
Pelvic / Obstetrical US – Drink one quart of water 2 hours prior to exam. Do not urinate after drinking water. Your bladder must be full for the sonogram.
Transvaginal US – No preparation necessary.
Abdomen / Gallbladder US – Clear liquid diet for 12 hours prior to exam. Liquids include clear juices such as apple, cranberry and grape, clear soups, Jell-0, coffee or tea. No milk products or carbonated beverages. Nothing to eat/ drink for 6 hours.
Renal US – Clear liquid diet for 12 hours prior to exam. Liquids include clear juices such as apple, cranberry and grape, clear soups, Jell-0, coffee or tea. No milk products or carbonated beverages. Nothing to eat/drink for 3 hours.
Thyroid / Scrotal / Doppler US – No preparation necessary.
X-Ray
Esophagram and / or Gl and / or Small Bowel – Nothing to eat or drink 12 hours prior to the exam. After the study, take a laxative (3 tbsp. Milk of Magnesia).
Gi Series / Esoph – nothing to eat after midnight. Clear liquids up until4 hours before exam. GISB -npo after midnight. Barium Enema and Air Contrast: Clear liquid diet for 24 hours prior to the exam. Liquids include clear juices such as Apple, cranberry, and grape, clear soups, Jell-0, coffee or tea. No milk products or carbonated beverages. At 8 PM the night before- drink one 10 oz. bottle of citrate of magnesia. At 10 PM the night before the exam -take 4 Ducolax pills with water. Beginning at 8 PM until bedtime, drink four 8-oz. glasses of water. On the morning of the exam you may have any liquid listed above. After the study, take a laxative (3 tbsp. of Milk Magnesia).
Plain X-Rays – No preparation necessary
Nuclear Medicine – Gamma Scintigraphy
It is beneficial to increase your fluid intake following the examination to help eliminate any radioactive material that may remain in your system.
Please call NYMI Associates for specific instructions related to your type of Nuclear Medicine examination (212) 535-9770.
PET / CT
Avoid strenuous activities on the day before the PET examination. Excessive muscular activity may interfere with interpretation of the scan.
Patients need to fast after midnight or at least six hours prior to their examination with the exception of water, and should be well hydrated. On the night before the exam, eat a high-protein, low-carb dinner.
If you are diabetic, please bring your medication and a light snack with you. Make sure that our staff is aware of your condition ahead of time. Patients taking insulin will need to have their insulin adjusted.
Please be prepared to stay with us for approximately three to four hours.
No caffeine and no alcohol the day before the exam.
Bone Densitometry (DEXA)
Patients should not have had a Barium Study, CT Scan (requiring contrast) or a Nuclear Scan within two days of your bone density examination.
Breast Imaging Exam(s)
Breast Imaging Examination Forms
This examination will consist of a mammogram and, if requested by your physician, a breast ultrasound. Several studies have confirmed that mammographic screening significantly reduced the number of deaths from breast cancer. In addition, studies have shown that in the appropriate subpopulation of women, a screening ultrasound examination, together with a screening mammogram, significantly increased detection of breast cancer when compared to mammography alone.
A mammogram is a low-dose x-ray of the breast used to detect breast changes in women who have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer. It usually involves two images of each breast. During the examination, a specially qualified radiologic technologist will position your breast in the mammography unit. Your breast will be placed on a special platform and compressed with a paddle.
Breast compression is necessary in order to
- Allow the use of a lower x-ray dose since a thinner amount of breast tissue is being imaged.
- Spread the breast tissue so that small abnormalities are less likely to be obscured by overlying tissue.
- Stabilize the breast to minimize blurring caused by motion.
- Reduce x-ray scatter to increase picture sharpness.
NYMI Associates uses only digital mammography. Digital mammography requires 25% less radiation dose than conventional film mammography and allows the recorded data to be enhanced, magnified, and manipulated for further evaluation. Most importantly, compared to conventional film mammography, digital mammography has been shown to provide a benefit in detection of breast cancer in women who have dense breasts, are under age 50, or are pre- or perimenopausal.
Approximately 90% of screening mammograms are normal and require no further evaluation. Should you require additional breast imaging, we will contact you to schedule an exam which is called a diagnostic mammogram. This will include a mammogram, sonogram and/or MRI. Please note, being recalled does not mean that you have breast cancer. In fact, the vast majority of patients called back for additional imaging do not have breast cancer. If you are recalled, a physician will review your study with you and discuss the findings and recommended follow-up.
The radiologist will review your mammogram usually within 1-2 days after your appointment. Some patients ask, “Why can’t the doctor look at my images while I’m here for the screening study?” Published studies have shown that immediate interpretation of screening mammograms -read while the patient waits in the office- resulted in a statistically significant increase in additional mammographic images and additional clinical work-ups without any significant benefit in cancer detection rate. Alternatively, and more importantly, batch reading -read after the patient leaves the office- resulted in a decrease in abnormal interpretation rates. The logic is that the radiologist, unhurried and undistracted by phone calls, patient questions, etc., is better able to focus on the task at hand. While there is no perfect test, reading the images in this fashion results in better patient care.
You have made a wise decision to have a screening mammogram. The physicians and staff at NYMI Associates strive to do everything we can to detect breast cancer early and provide you with the highest quality medical care.
Digital Mammography
Do not use powder, deodorant, lotion or perfume the day of the examination.
