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How to Prepare for a Medical Test or Procedure

A test or procedure is much easier when you know what is coming. This section explains, in plain language, how to prepare for the tests and procedures people ask about most: what the test is, how to get ready for it, what happens while it is done, and what to expect afterwards. Every guide follows the same simple structure, carries a short “How to Prepare” checklist, and links to real videos from our catalog so you can watch the test being performed before your own appointment. If your clinic gives you instructions that differ from anything here, follow theirs — they know your situation.

✓ Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — physician-scientist · Last reviewed: October 2026

Browse the eight guides

Pelvic Exam & Pap Smear What actually happens, step by step — the speculum, the Pap brush and the bimanual exam — and how to make it easier. Colonoscopy The bowel prep explained honestly, plus sedation, the test itself, and recovery afterwards. MRI Scan Metal safety checks, contrast dye, the noise, lying still — and what to do if enclosed spaces worry you. CT Scan Fasting, contrast dye and the kidney check, and why the quickest scan still needs preparation. Ultrasound Scan Why one scan needs an empty stomach and another a full bladder — and what happens in pregnancy scans. Cataract Surgery The measurements visit, what the operation feels like while you are awake, drops and recovery. Angiogram & Angioplasty The catheter test of the heart arteries, stents, and looking after the wrist or groin puncture site. ECG & Stress Test Where the stickers go, what the treadmill stages feel like, and the rules about medicines on the day.

How these guides work

Each guide starts with what the test is and why it is done, then gives you the preparation checklist — the fasting, the paperwork, the clothing, the medicines conversation — before walking through the day itself in three parts: before, during and after. A “Watch” section on every page collects the clearest videos of that test from the MedicalVideos.com catalog, so you can see the real thing rather than imagine it. The section grows as new tests are added, and guides are reviewed as practice changes.

Frequently asked questions

Do these guides replace the instructions from my hospital or clinic?

No — and they are not meant to. Your clinic knows your health history, your medicines and the exact equipment and sedation they use, so where their instructions differ from a guide here, follow theirs. These guides explain what to expect and the reasoning behind the common instructions, so the official ones make sense when you read them.

Why do preparation instructions differ between hospitals?

Because the details genuinely vary: different bowel-preparation products, different sedation practice, different scanners, and your own conditions and medicines all change the plan. That is why every guide here points you back to your appointment letter for the specifics — the letter is written for your test, at your hospital, on your day.

Can I eat and drink before my test?

It depends entirely on the test. Scans like CT and procedures with sedation often ask for a few hours without food; ultrasound of the abdomen needs an empty stomach, while pelvic ultrasound may need the opposite — a full bladder. Each guide in this section covers the fasting rules for its own test, and if you are ever unsure, phone the department rather than guess.

What should I do about my regular medication?

Most people take most medicines as normal, but there are exceptions around sedation, contrast dye and blood clotting — and they are individual. Tell the team everything you take, including inhalers and anything bought over the counter, and ask specifically about medicines for diabetes and medicines that thin the blood. Never stop a prescribed medicine just because a website mentioned it.

Who writes and reviews these guides?

The guides are written in plain language from standard clinical practice and reviewed by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — a physician-scientist and the founder of MedicalVideos.com. They are reviewed as guidance changes. You can read more about him and our editorial process on the About and Editorial Policy pages linked in the footer.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Follow your own clinician's instructions if they differ — they know your health history and the exact test you are having.