Arthrograms

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant. Your doctor may decide whether to postpone the exam or use an alternative exam such as ultrasound to reduce the possible risk of exposing your fetus to radiation.

You will be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, Coumadin, warfarin, Plavix, or any blood thinners, 7-10 days prior to your exam. If you are medically required to take these medications, please contact our staff to discuss this in more detail with your medical provider.

Let your doctor know if you have any known allergy to x-ray dye, iodine or certain foods such as shellfish which can contain trace amounts of iodine.

You will be asked to remove all jewelry, eyeglasses, and any other metal or electronic objects from your body before the exam as these objects interfere with the quality of the images.

Further preparation for your arthrogram depends on which part of your body will be examined.

Generally, the portion of your body that is being examined will be undressed and you may be asked to wear a hospital gown to cover yourself during the exam.

You may be also asked to wear a lead apron as a precaution to shield areas of your body not being examined from x-ray exposure.

Exam

You may be asked to lie on a table, stand or sit between an X-ray machine and the X-ray plate. The technologist will then aim the machine at the body area being examined.

The only discomfort you may experience is typically the temperature of the room, which is necessary to keep the X-ray equipment from overheating, or the hardness of the X-ray table. You may also experience localized discomfort at the injection site.

Results

A radiologist will review your exam images and report the findings to your doctor within 24 hours. Your doctor will follow his/her office protocol to share the findings and next steps with you.