Has anyone had a bowel CT scan?

Digestive health
1

Hello, just wondering if anyone has had a bowel CT scan before and if you can let me know what to expect? Xx

2

Yes, I have. You have to clear out your bowels and follow a special diet for a few days before the scan. The scan itself is slightly uncomfortable but nowhere near the pain of a colonoscopy. They insert a tube into your anus with a little balloon inside (to stop it popping out) and then they pump you up with air. This can be slightly uncomfortable (like trapped wind or stitch pain) but not too bad. Then you have to lie still in the scanner for a few minutes.

3

Eek! Wish I hadn't asked now! Haha! I naively thought it would be non invasive!! I'm sure my consultant said I wouldn't have to 'prep' for the scan like I did for sigmoid test! Ah well will be what it'll be I suppose for a few mins embarrassment! 😳 Many thanks for your reply .xx

4

Hi Flik.

I spoke to you on another thread,

Are actually having the Bowel CT? the one were they use a enema?

Or just a normal abdomen and pelvic CT?with contrast?

5

Hi SArah, I'm not sure which I've been referred for, my letter should be arriving soon!! Jo.x

6

Yes I had one a lng time ago, You will need to clear your bowels out like a Colonoscopy. They then lie you on a gurney and they turn you around into various positions and pass air up into the colon, sometimes they will also pass water into the colon to clear the walls of ony feceas. After the test that can last a while they will lead you into a WC so you can clear the bowel etc

If they offer a sedation give it a bit of thought, I found the whole testing poceedure a trail and would pefer not to know what is going on.

BOB

7

Depends if you're having an abdominal ct or a ct colonography. Abdominal ct is just lying there while you whizz through the ct scanner. Ct colonography involves following the same diet and prep as for colonoscopy and as said they fill you with air. If you are in the UK then it is not normal to have sedation with it and to be frank I found it extremely painfull- when you see the pics it's no wonder as you are pumped so full of air your intestines are so distended it's unreal. However as soon as they turn off the air pump the relief is instant and within 5 min it's as if it never happened.