Plan Your Visit

The best medical testing results occur when the patient is fully prepared for their visit. Some test requires different preparation hours (or sometimes days) before the scheduled appointment. We ask that our patients follow the recommended guidelines below to ensure their tests return the most accurate results as possible.

As a general guideline, make sure to bring :

  • A form of ID to verify your information
  • Your insurance card (if you carry insurance)
  • Any information for any special requests
  • Wear comfortable metal-free clothing before you visit us for an appointment

What to Expect

CT Exams

  • Abdomen: No food 5 hours prior – may drink fluids. Arrive 1/2 an hour early to begin drinking contrast.
  • Chest: No food 5 hours prior. Bring recent chest X-Rays for correlation and planning.
  • Pelvis: No food 5 hours prior- may drink fluids. Arrive 1/2 an hour early to begin drinking contrast.
  • Exam: w/ IV Contrast: No food 5 hours prior– may drink fluids. Arrive 1/2 an hour early to begin drinking contrast. Special instructions will be given to patients who take metformin.

All Other CT Exams

No preparation necessary, unless advised.

Wellness Screenings

No preparation necessary, unless advised.

MRI Exams

No prep for most MRI exams.

Oftentimes, MRIs cannot be performed on patients who have a pacemaker. However, our Kenosha & Milwaukee locations are MRI-safe with certain pacemakers. Please call us to check for you. 262-842-1400 or 414-281-1490.

You must inform us if you have a pacemaker, any implanted valves, stents, otologic implants, neurostimulators, or aneurism clips in your head, or if you are pregnant as these conditions can be unsafe for MRI. We must be made aware and then get detailed information from you on your implant or pregnancy term. We will let you know if you are cleared for an MRI or if it is unsafe after we have all the information needed.

Please bring any relevant outside X-rays or other exams for correlation. This is especially important for spine and musculoskeletal MRI exams.

MRI ABDOMEN/MRCP – No food 5 hours prior. Creatinine Statement only applies to CT Scans now.

Creatinine levels may be required for any patient over the age of 40, and all patients being treated for renal disease or hypertension. Creatinine levels are required for patients over 65.

Frequently Asked Questions

During a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, you lie within a machine that produces a strong magnetic field and radio-frequency waves that are directed at your body. This produces detailed images of the inside of your body. The protons found in the body are like tiny magnets and are very sensitive to magnetic fields. Short bursts of radio waves are then sent to certain areas of the body, knocking the protons out of alignment. When the radio waves are turned off, the protons realign and in doing so send out radio signals, which are picked up by receivers.

These signals provide information about the exact location of the protons in the body and also help to distinguish between the various types of tissue in the body because the protons in different types of tissue realign at different speeds and produce distinct signals. In the same way that millions of pixels on a computer screen can create complex pictures, the signals from the millions of protons in the body are combined to create a detailed image of the inside of the body

No, MRIs don’t use radiation.

The diagnostic imaging test will vary depending on the area of the body and whether or not it has been ordered with any contrast dye. An MRI will take 30-60 minutes, a CT will take 5-15 minutes, an ultrasound will take 30-60 minutes, and an Xray will take 5-15 minutes.We can have your final written report ready as soon as quickly as you need it. Just ask.

It will depend on what exam you are having done. Most MRI scans do not have any restrictions. Some CT and some ultrasound scans require that you do not eat or drink beforehand. We will advise you at the time of scheduling if there are any food or drink restrictions.

We will deliver the results to your ordering physician via fax or email. Your referring physician will arrange a time to discuss the results with you. If your referring doctor would like our radiologist to discuss the results with you directly, we will arrange to do so. We can have your final written report ready as soon as you need. A non-urgent case is usually completed within a few hours of your test but we can complete them within a few minutes of your test if needed.

We can have your final written report ready and delivered as soon as you need. A non-urgent case is usually completed within a few hours of your test but we can complete them within a few minutes of your test if needed.

Yes, we can. If you would like your report to be emailed, mailed or faxed, just ask us. We will make note to do so.

Yes, we can. If you would like us to deliver your report to other treating medical providers, please just ask and we will be happy to do so.

Your CD of images will open on any Windows based computer. It will not work on a Mac computer.

As long as your friend or family member passes our safety screening questions, you may have someone accompany you. If you are unaccompanied and would like someone in the room with you, one of our staff members can be at your side.

We are contracted with the majority of insurance companies. Please give our office a call at 262-321-7970 and we will perform a free insurance check for you. We’ll be able to confirm if we are contracted with your insurance company, inform you of your benefits and estimate any copayment your insurance may require.

We do ask that you make some type of payment on the date of your appointment. We can discuss options if this is not a possibility for you.

We have 4 locations. Please visit the Locations and Hours page for details.