MR enterography oral contrast?

[Everly]

Hello everyone.

So I was told by my doctor that I need to have an MRE to make sure that my Crohn's isn't present in my small bowl, and I was told I'm going to have to drink three bottles of contrast before the scanning...

I've had a CT before, and I could hardly even stomach one bottle of barium! I was told the contrast is different than barium, and have any of you had to drink the contrast used for a MR enterography scan? I'm just really scared and dreading the day I have to drink down all of that contrast...

Is barium as bad as the contrast they give you for a MR enterography? Or is it about the same? I just want to know what to expect..thank you

 

[PsychoJane]

Hummm, if it is the CT enterography, yes, I've had it in the past. The drink is really easier to down than the baryum meal can be. When I did it they gave me, I would say 1,5L maybe 2L of liquid. They don't give you a very long time to drink it though, the time laps was the "hardest" even though doable part. Pretty much it is sweet water with a slightly bitter/chemical taste to it.

One thing you should be warned about (they forgot to mention it to me), it is quite laxative. Be safe, bring extra clothes and allow yourself a few hours after the exam without much planned. I have an ileostomy and it was not fun at all as it was going through me non-stop.

Other than this, the exam is "easy", it is just quite annoying with the fluid excess!

Good luck,

~J~

 

[nogutsnoglory]

They gave me 15 min to drink each one. It tastes like a gooey very light lemonade. It's not that bad since you have to fast and are thirsty anyway. I had ct scans but not for a while, since then only MRI's so I don't recall the difference in the oral contrast b