24 hours prior to your exam, do not have any caffeinated or decaffeinated beverages or food including, energy drinks, coffee, tea, dark chocolate or diet pills.

For men, do not take Viagra or similar medications for 3 days prior to the exam.

Continue to take all your regular medications.

On the day of the exam, do not eat 1 hour prior.

Please leave all jewelry at home. Do not apply lotion to skin prior to exam.

Please be aware that sometimes it is necessary to take a medication called a betablocker to help lower your heart rate. If this occurs, you may be at the office for 1 hour or more.

During a CCTA, our nurse or technologist will direct you to lay down on the table of the CT machine and will then place electrodes on your chest, which records your heart’s electrical signals at rest.

We will then insert an IV line containing the contrast material through your arm or hand. As the table moves through the scanner it will take several images at different angles for precise imaging. You may be asked to hold your breath and remain still, as slight body movements may impact the quality of the imaging produced by the CT machine.

In certain conditions, you may be asked to take a medication to lower your heart rate prior to the procedure. These are commonly prescribed medications, such as beta blockers.

The procedure only takes minutes. Your results will be examined by a radiologist, a physician who interprets radiology exams and will discuss the findings with your doctor or cardiologist.