I'm having a heart ultrasound tomorrow evening. I was speaking with someone today and they said they had it done before and had to have dye run in him and he was told not to eat before the test. My doctor never mentioned that I would need to have dye run in me for the test and I wasn't told that I couldn't eat before the test. I was just wondering if anyone knows if it is common to have the dye for this type of test.

By Luvn29 on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 09:18 pm:

I've had almost every test imaginable done on my heart! Medical tests can be done numerous ways. When I had my ultrasound done on my heart, I didn't have to do anything differently, and they didn't use dye. However, with MRI's, sometimes they use dyes, sometimes they don't. Your doctor would have given you instructions if you needed any.

Good luck!

By Tripletmom on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 09:44 pm:

I've never had to have dye with my heart ultrasounds either.Good luck!

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - 10:22 pm:

I've never had an ultrasound for heart issues. I have had tests that involved using a dye, and I was very cautious about that because my dad had an episode where the hospital took films and used a dye - he had had a stroke and they wanted films of his brain and blood vessels. He had an allergic reaction to the dye, so I made sure the technicians knew that, and they performed an allergy test first. They also reassured me that the dyes used today are much different from the dyes used when my dad's procedure was done, and very, very few people had any allergic reaction.

I do know that there was no advance prep - I didn't have to not eat, or refrain from eating anything in particular. The dye was injected into a vein, and I was warned that I might feel a warm "flush" feeling, which I did. After the procedure was finished, they injected another chemical to "flush" the dye out of my system faster, and warned me I'd have to pee a lot for a while, which was also true.

I really can't remember for sure if the particular test was an ultrasound or another kind of test, but if my failing memory serves, it was not an ultrasound. When I've had ultrasounds they usually involve rubbing the device that emits the ultrasound waves over a part of my body, and using a cold gel to make it slide more easily. The tests that used the dye were, I think, radiologic in some way, because the technician went out of the room and behind a shield.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if they use a dye (and you don't know if that is the case) and they wanted you to take some dietary precautions, you would have been told. I know whenever I've had any test that had some prep - dietary or otherwise - my doctor's staff *and* the hospital staff were very careful to give me full details verbally and written instructions. (I had a procedure to determine whether my stomach was emptying properly and was told no food or water after midnight, for example.) It is entirely possible that the test your acquaintance had was a different kind of test.

If it were me, I'd trust that the various people involved in scheduling the ultrasound would have been careful to tell you what prep, if any, was required. Clearly this other person was clearly advised on how to prepare for the test, and I would assume the same would be true for you if the test required any kind of prep.

And, if you are really worried about this, call your doctor's office or the facility where the test is being done first thing in the morning and ask them. If the test is being done tomorrow evening, then even if you do have to fast for a while it wouldn't be for more than 8 hours, so you'd have plenty of time for being hungry if they don't want you to eat.

By Karen~admin on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 08:19 am:

Dye is used for contrast. I've had an U/S of my heart and no dye was used. My DH has had a heart attack and stent implant and has had every imaginable test on his heart and dye was never used.

By Anonymous on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 09:39 pm:

I didn't have to have the dye used. But my appointment was at 3p.m. and I wasn't called back there until almost 4:30 and got out of the doctor's office after five.