[h4]Introductions for preparing for nuclear medicine exams
Thyroid uptake and scan:
Please talk to the technologist that schedules your test.
There are some medications and prior tests that will interfere, otherwise you can eat and drink before.
This is a two day test, first day you come, you will take a capsule by mouth which will have no effect. Second day you will have the scan which takes approximately one hour. You will lie on your back while a camera is placed over your neck to acquire an image of your thyroid gland.
Parathyroid scan:
No preparation is required. You can eat and drink, take medication as usual.
You will receive a small injection of a tracer in the vein of your arm (feels like having your blood drawn), you will have no effects from the injection. 15 minutes later you will lie on your back while the camera rotates around your neck and chest. This takes approximately 20 minutes. After you are done you must have one extra picture on the camera about one and a half hour later. You could leave and come back if you wish.
Bone scan:
No preparation is required. You can eat and drink, take medication as usual.
You will receive a small injection of a tracer in the vein of your arm (feels like having your blood drawn), you will have no effects from the injection. 2 hours later we will perform the scan. You can leave and come back if you wish. We will ask you to drink extra fluids (coffee, water, etc.) while you are waiting to increase the uptake of the tracer into your bones which gives us better pictures. We will ask you to empty your bladder right before we start the scan.
The camera takes images of all your bones. This is done by lying on your back while the camera scans you from head to toe.
Sometimes a targeted image of a specific bone region is needed where the camera rotates around the region to get more detailed images.
The total bone scan takes around 30 minutes time when you return after the waiting period.
If the additional scan is needed, the time would be an extra 20 minutes.[/h4]Introductions for preparing for nuclear medicine exams
Thyroid uptake and scan:
Please talk to the technologist that schedules your test.
There are some medications and prior tests that will interfere, otherwise you can eat and drink before.
This is a two day test, first day you come, you will take a capsule by mouth which will have no effect. Second day you will have the scan which takes approximately one hour. You will lie on your back while a camera is placed over your neck to acquire an image of your thyroid gland.
Parathyroid scan:
No preparation is required. You can eat and drink, take medication as usual.
You will receive a small injection of a tracer in the vein of your arm (feels like having your blood drawn), you will have no effects from the injection. 15 minutes later you will lie on your back while the camera rotates around your neck and chest. This takes approximately 20 minutes. After you are done you must have one extra picture on the camera about one and a half hour later. You could leave and come back if you wish.
Bone scan:
No preparation is required. You can eat and drink, take medication as usual.
You will receive a small injection of a tracer in the vein of your arm (feels like having your blood drawn), you will have no effects from the injection. 2 hours later we will perform the scan. You can leave and come back if you wish. We will ask you to drink extra fluids (coffee, water, etc.) while you are waiting to increase the uptake of the tracer into your bones which gives us better pictures. We will ask you to empty your bladder right before we start the scan.
The camera takes images of all your bones. This is done by lying on your back while the camera scans you from head to toe.
Sometimes a targeted image of a specific bone region is needed where the camera rotates around the region to get more detailed images.
The total bone scan takes around 30 minutes time when you return after the waiting period.
If the additional scan is needed, the time would be an extra 20 minutes.