Question about CT scans and contrast

[giveface]

Hey all,

I have been a RN since June when I graduated. I work on a super busy med/surg floor andwe don't have a CT scanner, but rather we use the scanners of hospitals 30 mins drive east or west of our hospital, and patients are typically sent via ambulance for their scans. My question is regarding how I know if the patient's CT scan requires contrast or does not? The physicians will just order it as "CT of head" or "CT of Abdomen", without specifying contrast or no contrast. The partner hospital will send us a prep protocol (i.e., mucomyst BID for GFR

Like patient A will go for CT Abd with contrast and patient B will go for the same test and tell me they didn't use contrast (and there wasn't a contraindication for patient B)

[kponderRN]

For us the physician has to specify if they want the CT with contrast. I would imagine if they don't specifically order "CT w/ contrast" then it would be without.

[Carefreeliving]

Same here, physician has to specify with or without. They probably call and clarify the order before they conduct the scan too.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Yep the docs should be specifying if and what type of contrast they want. You can generally get an idea of what they want though ( GI series typically use oral etc ) but its better to clarify.

[8mpg]

They should be specifying. If they will get mucomyst, they will be getting contrast. What they are looking for will dictate whether or not contrast is used. Abdominal scans will use contrast if they are looking at the appendix or pancreas. Any angiogram test will be contrast.