The university of chicago hospitals

The University of Chicago Hospitals
Department of Radiology
PREPARATION FOR CT VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY
“OPTION #2B: MILD PREP WITH STOOL TAGGING”
(START TWO DAYS PRIOR TO CT)

1. Purchase: one 10 ounce bottle of Citrate of Magnesia and Bisacodyl tablets (four 5 mg pills)
(which can be purchased as a kit: LoSo Prep by E-Z-EM) at any pharmacy without need for a
prescription.
2. You will be sent a bottle of oral contrast named “Omnipaque” (“stool tagging agent”) from our
department. Omnipaque mixes well with any cold beverage (it is tasteless when mixed with a 10
oz beverage), and should not change your regular eating habits

3. Two days before the exam: Eat low fiber, light meals for breakfast and lunch and dinner.
(Any low fiber diet is good. A prepackaged group of foods called NutraPrep can be purchased via
your pharmacy by ordering from E-Z-EM 1-800-544-4624). Eat light meals for breakfast and
lunch and drink plenty of liquids during the day. It is important to drink fluids to cleanse the
colon and to prevent dehydration. Along with a light dinner, drink 1 teaspoon in 10 oz of cold
beverage.

4. One day before the exam:
• For breakfast, start a clear liquid diet (see end of these instructions for sample items). With your breakfast, drink 1 teaspoon Omnipaque in 10 oz of beverage. If you cannot tolerate a full day of clear liquids, you may eat a small, low-fiber breakfast. • For lunch continue clear liquid diet. Drink 1 teaspoon Omnipaque in 10 oz of beverage with your lunch. To be sure you don’t get dehydrated try to drink one 8 ounce serving of clear liquids EVERY HOUR while awake. If you are taking INSULIN the dosage many need to be adjusted; consult your doctor. Continue clear liquid diet. • If you use LoSo Prep, follow the instructions on the package insert; however the • At 5:30 pm start the laxative: Take 10 oz of Citrate of Magnesia. The laxative may
begin working within 30 minutes in some individuals or it may take up to 3 hours. • At 7:30 pm ingest 4 tablets of Bisacodyl (total dose 20 mg) with a glass of water. Do not
chew the tablets. (These come in many brand names and doses. All are over the counter and acceptable as long as the total dose is 20 mg). • Drink 1 glass of water each hour until bedtime. • At bedtime, drink 3 teaspoons of Omnipaque in 22 oz of beverage.

5. Morning of the exam:
• About 4 hours before your scheduled exam time, drink 3 teaspoons (or whatever is left in the bottle) of Omnipaque in a 22 oz beverage of your choice. If you cannot finish the entire mixture, that will not be a problem for the exam. • You may eat a clear liquid breakfast but do not eat or drink anything else until exam. • You may take your routine medications unless they require solid food to accompany them. If you are taking INSULIN the dosage may need to be adjusted the day prior and the morning of the test. Contact your physician for instructions regarding dosage. • If you take Blood Pressure or Heart medication, or Prednisone or other steroids, take it before 7 AM with a sip of water on the day of the test.
6. Report to Main X-Ray in Mitchell Hospital (5841 S. Maryland) (Room TC-100) for your
Virtual Colonoscopy. The front desk personnel will call us to process self-pay patients. Other
patients just check in. They will direct you to the CT area.
• The technologist will give you a gown. Just before CT scan (when you change into your gown), check that your rectum is empty. (You do NOT need to use the suppository that comes with the LoSo Prep kit.)
Note: Call your doctor for an alternate preparation if you have kidney disease, heart disease
or a several year history of high blood pressure or diabetes.
Sample Clear Liquid Diet Items:
Water
Clear broths (chicken, beef, vegetable)
Juices with no pulp (apple, prune, grape, cranberry, lemonade)
Clear beverages (sodas, Tea, Coffee)
Ice / Jell-O (Clear Jell-O, Popsicles without fruit, Italian Ices)
Avoid: Milk, cream, milkshakes, orange juice, tomato juice, cream soups, Oatmeal, Cream of
Wheat.

Source: https://radiology.uchicago.edu/sites/radiology.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/Prep-2B-Mag%2BBisacodyl-with-Tag.pdf