• Reference Number: HEY1065/2025
• Departments: Radiology
• Last Updated: 30 April 2025

Introduction

We have received a request for you to have a Computed Tomography (CT) Cardiac scan. This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your CT scan.

Please read this leaflet carefully.

Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your healthcare team but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team caring for you

Please also read the appointment letter you have received with this leaflet.

Share the information it contains with your family (if you wish) so that they can be of help and support. There may be information they need to know, especially if they are taking care of you following this examination.

What is a Cardiac CT scan

A cardiac CT scan is a specialised test that uses X-rays to produce detailed images of your heart and its blood vessels.  This allows us to see any narrowing or blockages that maybe affecting your heart health.

This will help the cardiologist to plan the best treatments for you.

Why do I need the Cardiac CT scan?

You will have recently seen your consultant who will have discussed with you their reason for wanting a cardiac CT scan.

Some reasons include:

• Unexplained or usual Chest pain.
• Family history of heart problems.
• Evaluation of existing heart problems
• You may have had a different test which has been inconclusive or more information is required
• Your cardiologist may want further imaging assessment of your heart for reasons other than the ones mentioned above

Can there be any complications or risks?

Radiation Risk

All CT scanning involves the use of X-rays. There are strict guidelines in place for the use of x-rays in diagnosing medical conditions so CT scans can only be performed at the request of a doctor (or other suitably Registered health Professional). Like everything in life, there is a degree of risk involved when using x-rays- you will receive a small dose of radiation which carries a low chance of side effects. To put this into context, this dose of radiation will be equivalent to what you receive over a period of approximately 1 to 5 years from natural background radiation that is present in the surrounding environment.

We will keep the radiation dose as low as we possibly can.

Contrast risks.

To obtain a clear image, we may use a contrast dye, which is injected through a small tube in your arm or hand. The radiographers will complete a checklist to ensure it is safe for you to have the dye and you will be asked to sign this form as a consent.

If you have any kidney issues, we may arrange a blood test first.

The contrast dye that is used can sometimes cause allergic reactions.  The staff available will be checking for any risks before we proceed.

Very occasionally, dye can leak under the skin. It may cause some stinging or swelling, which usually goes away in about 30 minutes. We’ll monitor you if this happens and explain any follow-up needed

Pregnancy

Please inform us is there is any chance that you could be pregnant. This is to avoid irradiation of the foetus in the early stages of pregnancy.

Cardiac Drugs

Beta Blockers:

We may give you an injection of a medicine (a betablocker) to slow down your heart rate. We do this if we need to get clearer pictures. We will tell you if it is needed. A specialist X-ray doctor (radiologist) or nurse will decide whether this is required.

Side effects or reaction to betablockers are:

• low blood pressure,
• feeling dizzy, headache,
• slow heart rate.

These usually only last a short time. There is also a risk of allergic reaction.

Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN)

We may give you 1 tablet of a medicine. It is called glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). You put the tablets under your tongue. You must let the tablets dissolve slowly. GTN medicine makes your blood vessels widen (dilate). We will be able to see them more clearly.

Side effects or reaction to GTN tablets are:

• headache that lasts for about 20 minutes,
• feeling dizzy, low blood pressure, fast heart rate.

These usually only last a short time. There is also a risk of allergic reaction.

How do I prepare for the scan?

Please read the appointment letter you have received with this leaflet.

Prior to your appointment, please ring the department if:

• If you have a known contrast allergy.
• If there is any possibility that you might be pregnant

You may be asked not to eat or drink anything for one or more hours before the examination.

Child Care: Unfortunately, we do not have childcare facilities. If you need to bring your children with you, please bring along an adult who can supervise them while your examination is being done.

Help and support in the department.

You can bring a relative/ carer/ friend with you. However, they will be able asked to wait in the waiting area, and they cannot go into the scan room, except in special circumstances. There is limited seating in the CT waiting areas of all our sites so during busy periods your accompanying visitor may be asked to return later.

If you have any medical problem which you feel may affect your safety in the department, or if you feel you may need any assistance, please let us know when you arrive.

Important:

For the best results you will need to be relaxed, and your heart rate needs to be slow and stable.  The following will help to achieve this.

• Please bring a list of your current medication with you when attending for your scan. Without this list we may not be able to proceed with your scan.
• PLEASE DO NOT take Sildenafil (Viagra) within 24 hours of your appointment.
• If you have asthma or COPD with currently uncontrolled symptoms, your asthma or COPD is severe, or you have had an attack within 6 weeks of your appointment please call us.
• If you use any inhalers, please bring these with you.
• On the day of your appointment DO NOT consume caffeine, for example tea, coffee, energy drinks or chocolate, other drinks such as water and fruit juices are suitable to take.

You should continue to take your routine medications as prescribed.  Please bring the list of your current medication with you.

You are welcome to bring a dressing gown if you wish.

What will happen?

Please book in at the CT/ MRI department and wait to be called through.

• We will take you to a changing cubicle. We will ask you to take off some of your clothes and put on a hospital gown.
• We will put a thin tube (cannula) into a vein in your arm.
• You will then be seen by a Nurses who will check your heart rate and blood pressure. They may give you an injection the beta blocker medicine as described previously in this leaflet.
• We will take you into the scan room. We will talk to you about the scan. You can ask any questions you may have.
• We may give you 1 tablets of a medicine. It is called glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). You put the tablets under your tongue. You must let the tablets dissolve slowly.
• We will put sticky patches (electrodes) on your chest. This is so that the scan can be timed to your heart rate.
• We will ask you to lie down on the scan table. You must keep still so we get clear pictures. We will ask you to hold your breath a few times during your scan. It is important for you to follow these instructions carefully so that we can get clear pictures of your heart.
• We then do the CT scan of your arteries. We give you an injection of contrast liquid that shows up on CT scans. This will make your blood vessels show up on the scan pictures. You may get a warm feeling and a metallic taste when we give you the injection. You may feel sick. If you do get these feelings, they usually last about 1 minute. Some patients will also have the feeling that they are about to pee (pass urine) but they are not actually doing so. This is also normal.
• The CT scan takes between 10 and 30 minutes.

What happens afterwards?

Following the scan, you will be asked to wait in the department for a further 20 to 30 minutes. We will leave the cannular in your arm for a short while. We will remove this before you leave the department.  The Radiology nurses will perform some basic observations, for example, taking your blood pressure.  When these are completed and within acceptable limits you will be allowed to leave the department.

Please expect to be in the department for 1 to 2 hours.

We advise that you eat and drink something before you leave the hospital.  You can resume your usual activities after the scan.

The scans will be reviewed by a Radiologist/Radiographer within a few days of your examination. The results are sent to the consultant who referred you for your scan. You will then receive a letter with your next outpatient’s appointment.

The radiographer will not be able to give you any idea of the results at that time.

If you already have your next out-patient appointment date and this is within one week of your CT scan, please inform the Radiographer before the scan begins.

Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact the CT Department Tel: 01482 622043

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.