Pre-Operative Imaging in Sharjah

What is pre-operative imaging?

Pre-operative imaging means the X-rays, ultrasound, CT or MRI scans done in the days or weeks before a planned operation. Each scan has a job. Most are planning scans: they show the surgeon the exact size, position and shape of what will be repaired or removed, so the approach can be chosen before you reach the operating theatre. A smaller number are safety scans, ordered when your age, symptoms or medical history mean the anaesthetic team needs a clearer picture of your heart or lungs.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, pre-operative scans are carried out in the Radiology department and reported by a radiologist, who writes the report with the surgeon's planning question in mind. Your general health and fitness for anaesthetic are reviewed separately in a pre-operative medical assessment, which may run alongside your imaging.

Who needs it

Pre-operative imaging is for people with a planned operation whose surgeon needs a map of the area first. The scan depends on the operation:

| Planned operation | Scan often requested | What the surgeon learns |
|---|---|---|
| Knee ligament reconstruction or cartilage repair | MRI | Which structures are torn and whether other damage needs treating in the same operation |
| Complex fracture near a joint | CT | How many pieces there are and how the joint surface lines up, to plan plates or screws |
| Joint replacement | X-ray, sometimes with a sizing marker | Bone shape and size, used to template the implant |
| Gallbladder removal | Ultrasound | Stones, wall thickness and the bile duct |
| Hernia repair, when the diagnosis is uncertain | Ultrasound, sometimes CT | Where the hernia sits and what it contains |
| Varicose vein or artery treatment arranged by referral | Doppler ultrasound | Which veins or arteries are affected |

Safety imaging is chosen person by person. A chest X-ray is ordered before surgery when it can change the plan, for example if you have a cough, breathlessness, known heart or lung disease, or a recent chest infection. Healthy adults having routine operations often go to theatre without one, and this reflects current surgical and anaesthetic guidance.

The surgical departments that most often request pre-operative scans are General and Laparoscopic Surgery and Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, with the Anesthesiology team requesting safety imaging.

What happens

Your surgeon decides which scans are needed at your surgical consultation and explains what each one is for. The radiology team then arranges the examinations, timed so the results are ready before your operation date.

Each scan follows the usual steps for that examination, described on its own page. Two features are specific to scans done for surgery:

• Planning measurements. For some operations, the radiologist adds measurements to the report, such as the size of a gallstone, the length of a tear or the angle of a fracture, which the surgeon uses to choose instruments or implants.
• Skin marking. Occasionally, just before surgery, ultrasound is used to find a small structure, such as a lump under the skin, and its position is marked on the skin with a pen so the surgeon can locate it quickly.

The surgeon reviews the images themselves as well as the written report, often with you, to explain the plan.

Preparing for it

• Bring every earlier scan, including images on disc or a portal link and reports from other hospitals or countries. Surgeons plan from the most recent images and use older ones to see how a problem has changed.
• Follow the preparation for each scan, such as fasting for an abdominal ultrasound or removing metal before MRI. These instructions are separate from the eating and drinking times you are given for the operation itself, explained on the pre-operative fasting guidance page.
• Tell the team if you are pregnant or might be. Women who could be pregnant are usually asked before an X-ray or CT, and a pregnancy test may be done before surgery.
• Mention implants and allergies, including any previous reaction to contrast dye, a pacemaker or metalwork from an earlier operation.

Afterwards

After the scans, you continue with your normal routine unless the scan instructions say otherwise. The radiologist's report goes to your surgeon, who uses it at your pre-operative review to confirm the plan, or occasionally to suggest a different approach.

Contact your surgeon's team before the operation date if your symptoms change significantly after the scan, for example if a painful joint locks, a hernia becomes harder to push back, or new pain develops. Go to the emergency department straight away if a hernia becomes firm, very painful and will not go back, especially with vomiting.

Cost and insurance

In the UAE, most insurers approve pre-operative scans together with the operation, and CT and MRI usually need pre-approval in their own right. Start the approval as soon as the scans are requested, since a delayed scan approval can move the operation date. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.