How to prepare for an abdominal film?
- You don’t have to skip meals, adjust your diet, or do anything significant to get ready for an abdominal X-ray unless your healthcare provider says you should.
- It would help if you tell your doctor if you’re carrying a baby. The low levels of radiation used in the procedure can be dangerous for pregnant women. Experts suggest ultrasounds to examine certain organs in pregnant women because it is safe for the baby and mother.
- Your doctor should know about any drugs you are using. Drugs such as Pepto-Bismol or any drug made from bismuth should not be used 4 days before your appointment, because it reduces the quality of the image. You must tell your doctor if you’ve taken bismuth to prevent any complications.
- Just like bismuth [6], barium or materials made from it can affect the image of the procedure. Therefore, you must tell your doctor if you’ve done any X-ray test involving barium contrast material.