• Fasting Requirements: You are required to fast (no solid food or colored beverages) for at least 4 to 6 hours before your scan. This is a standard safety precaution for administering intravenous contrast medium. You may continue to drink plain water to remain hydrated.
• Kidney Function Test (Serum Creatinine): Because the contrast dye is processed and eliminated by the kidneys, a recent Serum Creatinine report (dated within the last 30 days) is mandatory. This ensures your renal function is sufficient to clear the dye safely.
• Allergy Disclosure: It is vital to inform the Scan4Health team if you have a known iodine allergy or have reacted to X-ray contrast in the past. We also need to know if you have a history of asthma or severe food allergies.
• Remove Metal Objects: You will be asked to remove all jewelry, belts, and clothing with metal zippers or buttons from the waist area. Metal causes artifacts on the scan that can obscure vital bone and soft tissue details.
• Medication Review: Inform our clinical staff if you are taking Metformin for diabetes. In some instances, you may be advised to pause this medication for 48 hours following the contrast injection.
• Post-Scan Hydration: Plan to drink plenty of water (8–10 glasses) over the next 24 hours after the test. This helps your kidneys efficiently flush the contrast agent from your system.

The CE CT Coccyx at Scan4Health is a powerful diagnostic tool used when clinical symptoms require greater detail than routine X-rays or non-contrast scans. Its clinical utility includes:

Key clinical uses include:

• Tumor and Mass Characterization: The coccyx is a potential site for specific tumor types, such as chordomas and germ cell tumors. The enhancement pattern provided by the contrast dye helps radiologists determine the nature of a mass and its relationship to the surrounding pelvic organs.
• Infection and Abscess Detection: The scan is highly sensitive in identifying pilonidal cysts, localized abscesses, or osteomyelitis (bone infection) of the coccyx. These conditions often show rim enhancement under contrast, making them much easier to locate.
• Complex Fracture and Displacement Analysis: For patients with severe tailbone trauma, the CE CT evaluates not just the bone break, but also any associated hematomas (blood collections) or active bleeding in the pelvic floor muscles.
• Inflammatory Disease Assessment: The scan helps visualize inflammation at the sacrococcygeal joint, which can cause debilitating chronic pain. Contrast enhancement highlights increased blood flow to these inflamed areas.
• Pre-Surgical Mapping: If a coccygectomy (surgical removal of the tailbone) is being considered, this scan provides a 3D blueprint of the patient’s unique anatomy, allowing the surgeon to navigate around critical vessels and nerves with high precision.