Physician consulting with a patient in a clinical exam room

Preparing for Your Exam

We want you to feel prepared and confident on the day of your imaging exam. To ensure your appointment goes as quickly and smoothly as possible, we have put together a few simple guidelines. Following these tips will help our team get the clearest results while making your experience comfortable and stress-free. Please review the specific instructions for your scheduled test below.

X-ray

No special preparation is required for an X-ray. To ensure the best results, we recommend minimizing the amount of metal you wear on the day of your exam. For your convenience, X-rays are available on a walk-in basis.

Bone Density (DEXA)

  • Abdomen/Aorta: Avoid eating or drinking for at least five hours before your exam.
     
  • Pelvic or Obstetrical: Drink two bottles of water one hour before your appointment. Please refrain from using the restroom until after your exam.
     
  • Renal/Kidney/Bladder: Drink one bottle (16 oz.) of water one hour before your appointment.

Mammography

  • Avoid using deodorant or powder on the day of your exam.
     
  • Wear a comfortable, two-piece outfit for ease during the procedure.
     
  • If your last three mammograms were not done at a Stony Brook Medicine facility, please bring them on disks to your appointment. If you’re unable to obtain them beforehand, we can request them during your visit, though this may delay your final report.

MRI

  • Important: Notify our staff when scheduling your appointment if you have a cardiac pacemaker, aneurysm clip, hearing implant, spinal stimulator or any implanted device, as an MRI scan may not be possible.
     
  • Remove all jewelry or metallic objects before your MRI.
     
  • For an abdominal or pelvic MRI: Avoid eating for two hours before your exam. Drinking clear liquids is encouraged, but avoid coffee or dairy products.
     
  • Some MRI exams may require contrast: The contrast contains gadolinium, which does not include iodine and very rarely causes allergic reactions.

CT/CAT Scan

  • CT Abdomen and Pelvis CT: Do not eat two hours before your exam. Drinking clear liquids is encouraged.
     
  • Exams with IV contrast: Do not eat two hours before your exam. Drinking clear liquids is encouraged.
     
  • Exams without IV contrast: No special preparation is required.

If you have had an allergic reaction to iodine-based contrast, please notify our staff as you may require premedication.

PET/CT

  • Do not eat six hours before your exam, but please drink plenty of water while fasting. Your last meal before fasting should be low in carbs and sugars (no bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, ice cream, candy or juice).
     
  • If you are diabetic, follow a strict diabetic diet for 24 hours before the exam.
     
  • Avoid mints, gum or candy as they may affect your results.
     
  • This exam takes approximately two and a half hours.
     
  • For six hours after the exam, stay at least three feet away from children and pregnant women as a precaution.

 

Back to Top