Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine is a special area of health care that involves the application of radioactive substances to help in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. 

A radioactive compound, known as a radiopharmaceutical, is used to target a particular organ to help it appear clearly in the image. To do this, depending on your procedure, the radiopharmaceutical will either be injected into your bloodstream, taken orally or breathed in. The image may then be taken immediately or after a period of time, depending on what is required for your procedure. 

At KGH, we do many types of nuclear medicine examinations and there are some special directions for each one. Your health care team will provide you with these details before your exam, but you can find further information below. 

Bone Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 3 to 4 hours for your appointment.
  • There are no special preparations required.

Biliary/Gallbladder Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 1 to 2 hours for your appointment.
  • Do not eat or drink for 4 hours before your test.

Thyroid Uptake

  • This test will be done on 2 consecutive days for 15 minutes each day.
  • Do not eat or drink for 4 hours before your first test.
  • You can not have received x-ray contrast dye 4 weeks prior to your scan.
  • If you are on thyroid medication, please check with your physician whether you need to stop the medication prior to your test.

Parathyroid Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 3 hours for your appointment.
  • Do not eat or drink for 4 hours before your test.

Captopril Renal (Kidney) Scan for High Blood Pressure

  • Please allow a minimum of 2 hours for your appointment.
  • Do not eat breakfast before your test. 
  • If you are taking blood pressure medication, check with your doctor whether you need to stop the medication prior to your test.
  • Drink 4 glasses of water during the hour before to your test. You may urinate as needed during this time.
  • Bring a list of the medications that you are currently taking with you for your test.

Renal (Kidney) Scan: Routine/Diuretic

  • Please allow a minimum of 45 minutes for your appointment.
  • Drink 4 glasses of water during the 1 hour before your test begins.
  • You may urinate during this time.

Lasix Renal Scan

  • Please allow 1-2 hours for your appointment.
  • Drink 4 glasses of water during the hour before your test begins.

  • You may urinate during this time.

Pediatric Lasix Renal Scan

  • Please allow 4 -5 hours for your appointment.
  • All special preparation for the test will take place in the hospital.

Gallium Scan

  • Your scan will be performed 48 to 72 hours after you receive the gallium injection.
  • No preparation is necessary prior to the gallium injection.
  • An abdominal prep may be necessary after you receive gallium injection. The technologist will let you know this at the time of the injection.
  • The scanning procedure takes about 30 to 90 minutes.

Voiding Cystogram

  • Please allow a minimum of 1 hour for your appointment.
  • There is no special preparation required before this test.

Ventilation and Perfusion Lung Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 1 hour for your appointment.
  • There is no special preparation required before this test.

Whole Body I-131 Scan

  • The Scan is performed 2 to 7 days after ingesting the I-131 capsule.
  • After receiving the capsule, drink 4 to 8 glasses of water every day.
  • Eat a high fiber diet and take a laxative the day before your scan.
  • The actual scanning procedure takes about 1 hour.

Salivary Gland Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 1 hour for your appointment.
  • Do not eat or drink for 4 hours before to the test.

HMPAO Brain Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 2 hours for your appointment.
  • There is no special preparation required before this test.

Gastric Emptying

  • Please allow a minimum of 2 hours for your appointment.
  • Do not eat for 8 hours before to the test.
  • You can not take this test if you are allergic to egg. If you are allergic to egg, please speak with your doctor. 

Meckels Diverticulum Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 2 hours for your appointment.
  • You must be fast for 8 hours before the test. For infants this is reduced to 4 hours.
  • Do not take any laxatives or aspirin for at least 5 days before the scan.
  • You can not have the test done if you have had x-ray barium within 48 hours.
  • Your physician will arrange for you to receive medication before the test begins. 

Liver and Spleen Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 45 minutes for your appointment.
  • You can not have the test done if you have had x-ray barium within 3 days before the test. 

Hemangioma Scan (RBC Liver Scan)

  • Please allow a minimum of 3.5 hours for your appointment.
  • You can not have the test done if you have had x-ray barium within 3 days before the test. 

Gallbladder Scan (Biliary Scan)

  • Please allow a minimum of 75 minutes for your appointment.
  • A delayed image 4 hours after your injection, may be necessary.
  • Do not have anything to eat or drink for at least 2 hours before the scan.

Gallbladder Scan with Ejection Fraction

  • Please allow about 2 hours for your appointment.
  • Do not eat or drink for at least 2 hours before the scan.
  • An abdominal ultrasound report must accompany your requisition.

DMSA Renal Scan

  • Please allow a minimum of 4 hours for your appointment.
  • Drink 4 glasses of water in the hour before your test.
  • You may urinate as needed during this time.
  • It is important to be well hydrated for this study.

Labeled White Blood Cell Study

  • A blood sample will be taken early in the day (8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.) The patient returns 3 – 4 hours later for the injection of labeled white blood cells. Images may be taken 1 hr., 3-4 hours, and 24 hours later.
  • The timing of images will vary depending on the patient history.
  • No preparation is necessary.

For more information on what to expect if you are going to have nuclear medicine scan, you can watch the video below: