CT of soft tissues of the neck

How CT is performed:

• The patient arrives 10–15 minutes before the scheduled time, registers and fills in documents.

• At the reception, the referral, ID card, and for contrast CT — lab tests (creatinine and urea, not older than 10 days), previous examination results (if available) are checked.

• Before the procedure, the patient must remove metal objects and jewelry (glasses, chains, belt, bra with underwire, etc.), and put away the phone.

• The patient lies on the CT scanner table. The body may be fixed to remain still during scanning.

• For contrast CT, the nurse places an IV catheter, and the doctor injects the contrast automatically at the right moment.

• The doctor is in an adjacent room monitoring the procedure. Communication is via a two-way audio system.

• The procedure takes 5–20 minutes. During scanning it is important to stay still and hold breath when instructed (especially for chest or abdominal exams).

• After the exam, the catheter is removed (if used), recommendations are given, and information about result readiness is provided.

• The procedure is quick, painless, and requires no special preparation (except for contrast CT — fasting for 6 hours).

Age:

• Contrast CT is performed for children from 7 years old — only with anesthesiologist present.

Medications with metformin (Glucophage, Siofor, Formetin, etc.):

• Stop taking 2 days before, on the day of CT, and 2 days after. Total pause — 5 days.

Medications with metformin (Glucophage, Siofor, Formetin, etc.):

• Iodine allergy;

• Thyroid disease;

• Unstable blood pressure;

• Excessive weight (evaluated individually).

Pregnancy:

• CT with contrast — contraindicated.

• CT without contrast — only with a referral and written permission from a gynecologist. The referral must include: stamp and details of the medical organization, patient’s passport data, diagnosis and indications, date, signature and doctor’s seal.