CT Scan of the Gallbladder (Nursing)

00:00 So let's look at an abdominal CAT scan, remember we're looking for acute cholecystitis.

00:05 So we want a shot right here.

00:08 When a patient goes down for a CAT scan, we don't do a head-to-toe.

00:12 We're just going to focus on the area where we think the injury is.

00:17 So this takes about 10 to 30 minutes to complete.

00:20 So as you're preparing your patient for an abdominal CT scan, you want to let them know what to expect.

00:27 Now this one is also non invasive.

00:28 Look at what you see there you got the big donut, and then you see the table that's slides outside of it.

00:34 The patient if they fit the correct size for the CAT scan will be slid into that round donut hole so we can take the pictures.

00:42 Now this uses X-ray and computer technology is pretty cool, to give us images that are much more detailed than an X-ray.

00:51 That's why if we couldn't tell what it was and an ultrasound, step up to abdominal CT scan.

00:57 Both are invasive, but you want to guess which one costs a lot more.

01:01 Yeah, it's this one.

01:03 So we try to do as minimally invasive testing as we can and try to keep it as cost efficient if we can as long as it gives us an accurate diagnosis.

01:13 Now we can also while we're in there, take a look at the liver, the spleen the colon the pancreas or the kidneys, all in that one abdominal CAT scan.

01:23 Keep in mind this takes only about 10 to 30 minutes to get some pretty amazing pictures.

01:29 Now if the CAT scan is ordered with contrast dye, Pause.

01:35 This is where you really have to pay attention, okay, because this could cause some real challenges or risks for your patient.

01:42 So make sure you have that starred and underline if the cat scan is ordered with contrast dye, It's best for the patient not to eat or drink for three hours before the exam.

01:53 Now we don't always have that luxury, but that's the optimum best way to go about it if we can.

02:00 We need before you send them down though, to assess the patient's renal function.

02:04 There are certain medications that could literally take out the kidneys if we give them CAT scan dye, and they happen to be on a medication called metformin.

02:15 So this dye and the metformin interact in a really adverse way.

02:20 And so you have a risk of the patient having severe kidney damage.

02:24 So you need to know for sure how are the kidneys functioning? So the patient can get rid of that dye, you need to know if they're on any medication like metformin because there is a kidney killing interaction that could happen if the patient currently has metformin in their system and you also want to know if they have a risk of allergy to the dye.

02:43 Now depends on which type of dye that's used some dyes are iodine based so you would not want the patient to have a shellfish allergy and receive this dye.

02:52 So dye gives some really cool pictures, right? We can do it without dye or with dye, but as the nurse it's your job to recognize what's going on with that test.

03:02 Make sure the right assessment questions are asked.

03:05 How are the kidneys doing? Are there any medications that will interact with this dye? And is there any risk that the patient could be allergic to that dye? That's our responsibility as part of the healthcare team.

03:18 Now, there's other checks and balances along the way but know that our responsibility is to our patient and to keep them safe.

03:26 That's why we have to know what's being ordered for the patient so we can evaluate what questions we need to ask.