Radiation Therapy - Comfortably Full Bladder

CT Scan Date: ________ Time: _______

Your health care team wants your bladder to be comfortably full for your CT scan and radiation treatments. When the bladder is full, the small intestines are pushed up and out of the pelvis area. This helps to lower the risk of diarrhea and other side effects. It also helps us deliver the treatment to the target area and reduce the risk of harming healthy tissue. Follow the steps in this handout to make sure you have a comfortably full bladder.

1 1/2 Hours (90 Minutes) Before Your CT Scan

1. Empty your bladder 90 minutes before the appointment time.

2. Drink 24-32 ounces of water within 30 minutes of emptying your bladder.

3. Do not urinate for the next 60 minutes before your scan or treatment.
   

Follow these same steps before each treatment.

If you feel like you will have an accident and you must urinate, try to go just enough to take the pressure off. Please let the therapist know this before your treatment.

We know that it may be hard to have a full bladder every day. Our staff will work with you to make this process as easy as we can.