After the CAT SCAN the patient is taken back to the recovery area where they are monitored for 4 hours. Patients are encouraged to drink plenty of caffeinated beverages and be given instructions for strict bed rest for the next 24 hours. Patients are only allowed to get up and go to the bathroom. This is to prevent spinal headaches. It is important that the car in which a patient will be going home in has reclining seats so they are allowed to lie down for the trip home.
Patients can eat a light meal within a few hours before the procedure.
If a patient is an insulin dependent diabetic, they must not change their normal eating pattern prior to the procedure. Patients may take their routine medications.