Brain scan

Preparation

Preparation for a brain scan will vary based on the test. Generally, limited preparation is necessary. You might be asked not to eat anything for six hours before the scan. You will need to disclose to your care team if you are claustrophobic, pregnant, have allergies to dye, have taken any medications, or have taken insulin for diabetes.

For an MRI, you will need to remove all metal from your body and wear clothes that do not have any metal. Your testing center will provide you with a gown to wear.

For PET scans, you will want to have fluids available for afterward so that you can flush the tracer out of your body more quickly.

Results

Your doctor will contact you with the results of your scan and what you will be doing moving forward. If your scan came back abnormal, you might need additional testing. They may be able to give you a preliminary diagnosis based on the results of this scan. What happens next in your treatment will depend on what the doctors find in your scan.

Unless your situation is urgent, you can usually expect results within a couple of days up to a couple of weeks.

The information contained in this article is meant for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from your healthcare provider.