Jacques wrote:boxhill wrote:... Metformin is also somewhat of an issue for those having scans with contrast, since the combo can put a strain on the kidneys. ..
Tina -
I think boxhill, is right. If your upcoming CT scan is to be a "CT scan with IV contrast", then your kidney function tests (e.g., BUN, creatinine/creatinine-clearance) all have to be within the normal range before they will give you a prescription for the IV contrast agent. But your upcoming scan really needs to be a "CT scan with IV contrast" so that the fine detail of your liver and lungs will become visible, otherwise there is hardly any point in having a CT scan right now. Right now what you need is a high-definition scan that will show what is going on in you liver and lungs. You can't afford to do anthing now that's going to damage your kidneys.
More information on contrast materials here:
Contrast materials used in CT scans
https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=safety-contrast
How to Prepare for a CT or CAT Scan
https://www.sjhc.london.on.ca/diagnostic-imaging/ct-computed-tomography-and-cat-computerized-axial-tomography/how-preparePossible side effects of an abdominal CT scan
The side effects of an abdominal CT scan are most often caused by a reaction to any contrast used. In most cases, they’re mild. However, if they become more severe, you should call your doctor right away.
Side effects of barium contrast can include:
abdominal cramping
diarrhea
nausea or vomiting
constipation
Side effects of iodine contrast can include:
skin rash or hives
itching
headache
If you’re given either type of contrast and have severe symptoms, call your doctor or go to the emergency room right away.
Ref: https://www.healthline.com/health/abdominal-ct-scan
Alternatives to CT scans. You should be aware that CT scans are not the only kinds of scans used for rectal cancer. Other procedures, such as rectal MRI, or endo-rectal ultrasound (ERUS), can give better, more detailed images of the primary tumor, but they may be more expensive or not ordinarily covered by insurance or not available at small hospitals. (It may be worth asking why they are not using any of these in your case.)Imaging Rectal Cancer Before Treatment
Before radiation, chemotherapy or surgery for rectal cancer, imaging specialists may use one or more techniques to determine where the tumors are located in the rectum and how far they have spread into surrounding tissue and lymph node. These images help surgeons and radiation oncologists pinpoint exactly where to treat the cancer, how to remove as much of the cancer as possible so that the likelihood of the cancer returning is small, and how to preserve the muscles and nerves of the rectum to give a patient the best quality of life going forward.
Imaging techniques can include:
• Rectal protocol MRI: this technique refers to MRI that includes images taken from specific angles to gain the best look at the rectum and surrounding tissue. These images are recommended for patients entering the Johns Hopkins Rectal Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic.
• Transanal ultrasound: transanal ultrasound (TRUS), sometimes called endorectal ultrasound (ERUS), creates images of the rectum from high-energy sound waves produced by a probe inserted through the anus.
• Transanal endoscopy ultrasound: transrectal endoscopic ultrasounds (EUS), performed with a flexible endoscope inserted through the anus, are often preferred to transanal ultrasounds to view tumors higher in the rectum, closer to the colon.
Ref: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/centers/colorectal_cancer/about_rectal_cancer/treatments/radiationtherapy.html
It's 6:30 AM and I'm in bed, but I'm pretty sure that in my referral paperwork for the scan, contrast was mentioned. However, no one has informed me that I will be ingesting anything specific before the scan. Could it be that they're just going to give me some liquid to drink when I get to the scanning place? Would that require a prescription?