Im going in for a cat scan later this week. they told me i cant eat anything for 4 hours before the test.?

i was wondering why. i have had cat scans before and i never had to do that. hopefully someone out there will know the reason why. thanks

Well, depending on what it is a cat scan of, they will give you contrast. It is because of this contrast that you need to have an empty stomach, as it may cause you to vomit. Also, if it is a cat scan of your abdomen, they need your stomach empty to be able to see everything.

So you don't need to urinate during the scan and to help prevent nausea and it is also probably because of what they are going to scan this time. You didn't post what they are scanning so it is hard to say more. If you tell us what the CT scan is for we might be able to tell you more.

it is to prevent nausea

if you have any questions you should call the doctor and ask questions before you have the cat scan done.

If you are having a CT scan which involves an injection of contrast, you need to be NPO for 4 hours prior to the study. Some people experience nausea during the contast injection, and we want to make sure you don't vomit. Studies which may require injections of contrast include brain, chest, abdomen and pelvis CT scans.

Specifically for a CT of the abdomen and pelvis, food can interfer with the study.

"Some foods, such as caffeine and dairy products, interfere with the test and not allow us to see everything....Please follow your instructions, otherwise we may have to reschedule your procedure or even repeat the exam on another day."

http://www.holzer.org/Services/hmc-g/rad...