What is often required prior to performing a contrast-enhanced CT scan?

Prior to performing a contrast-enhanced CT scan, patient fasting is often required to minimize the risk of complications and to enhance the quality of the images obtained. Fasting helps prevent gastrointestinal contents from interfering with the contrast material used during the scan, which can result in clearer images. This is particularly crucial when the contrast agent is administered because it can cause nausea, and having an empty stomach reduces this risk.

While hydration is important to help flush out the contrast material post-procedure and reduce the risk of nephrotoxicity, it is not a mandatory step preceding the scan itself. Shaving the area of interest is not typically necessary for a CT scan, as imaging does not require exposure of the skin in the same way that certain other procedures might. Informed consent is a vital part of medical procedures in general but is not specific to the act of preparing the patient for a contrast-enhanced CT scan as fasting is.