Ct Angiogram

I have been given no instructions about preparing for a CT angiogram, can you eat before the scan does anyone know as I have read online that for so many hours to have to not eat because of the contrast medium

Hi looby

There is nothing to worry about with this proceedure, in fact I had one last week in Oxford.

You can eat what you want, there are no do' or dont's, just turn up and chill!

They will put a small catheter in your arm, which contains the dye/contast, half way through the scan they will tell you that they are injecting the contrast, your arm will feel slightly cold/chilled and it is job done!!!

There is no pain or other ill effects at all, so relax and it is over in +- 15 mintutes.

I repeat nothing to worry about at all.

Best Wishes

martinc



MartinC said:

Hi looby

There is nothing to worry about with this proceedure, in fact I had one last week in Oxford.

You can eat what you want, there are no do' or dont's, just turn up and chill!

They will put a small catheter in your arm, which contains the dye/contast, half way through the scan they will tell you that they are injecting the contrast, your arm will feel slightly cold/chilled and it is job done!!!

There is no pain or other ill effects at all, so relax and it is over in +- 15 mintutes.

I repeat nothing to worry about at all.

Best Wishes

martinc

I am having the CT angiogram this Friday in Bristol, my MRI showed a 4mm wide necked basilar tip aneurysm, so I hope no others show up. Do you think they will treat it as so small? I am seeing the neurosurgeon on Dec 10th as haven't seen any consultant yet.

Thanks Martin for your reply

Hi Again Looby

There are 2 options to fix this aneurysm, one way is to have open surgery conducted by a Neurosurgeon the procedure is known as Clipping or secondly to have Coils and a Stent inserted and this is done by a Endovascular Surgeon.

Endovascular surgery is less invasive as it is done through your arteries and Veins, where as Clipping involves open brain surgery and is more invasive with a longer recovery period.

Endovascular Coiling involves feeding small coils through the veins into the aneurysm until it is tightly packed and then placing a small stent ( a mesh like tube across the neck/entrance of the aneurysm)

The neurosurgeon will be able to tell you whether yours is suitable for a Coiling and Stent procedure and will then refer you to a Endovascular specialist.

I had a similar one in size in the same location, treated by coils and a stent 2 years ago, here in Oxford, as well as another in the Opthalmic region, both procedure worked well and recent scans show that the aneurysms are safely blocked off!

The endovascular procedure's are hassle free, you go to sleep, waken up and it is job done, I had absolutely no side effects at all, no head aches, nothing!

Obviously the Endovascular route was the way to go for me as it was less invasive and it was possible to go this route, I have a further 3, 2 x Right side MCA's and 1 x Left side MCA, which cannot be sorted via endovascular means and they remain untreated!

I attach a site below that give you all the info you need to understand the risks of unruptured brain aneurysms, this will help you to better understand these vile things.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199812103392401

I hope this helps you some what and please feel free to ask me any questions that you may have, or indeed the forum.

Remember CHILL for the Angiogram/Scan. it is a breeze, nothing to worry about at all!

Cheers for now! and keep in touch!

Martinc

Hi Martin

I had the Ct angiogram and as you said it was simple and stress free. I am worried as I forgot to tell them I had metal underwires in my bra, but they would have said if they didn't get good pictures I guess. Also worried that they will find more aneurysms. Also my original MRI showed hyperintensities in the deep white matter which likely represent underlying microangiopathic disease, so that may mean I have hardening of the arteries probably caused by years of heavy smoking.Have to wait now for the Neurosurgeon apt on Dec 10th for some results and discussion about options.

Thanks

Looby