Welcome to the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Henry Medical Center. If your doctor has requested a Nuclear Medicine scan to help evaluate your current medical condition, this section will prepare you for your procedure so you know what to expect.  

We have provided guidelines on the approximate time necessary to complete several imaging procedures as well as the necessary preparation steps as they apply. If preparation information is not included for your specific test, contact your physician's office for the necessary information.

What is Nuclear Medicine?
Nuclear Medicine uses small amounts of radioactive materials (or tracers) to help identify and treat a variety of diseases. Nuclear medicine finds the cause of the medical problem based on the function of the involved organ, tissue or bone. In a nuclear medicine test, the radioactive material is placed into the body by injection, swallowing, or inhalation. The amount of radioactive material is carefully selected to provide the least amount of radiation exposure to the patient while assuring an accurate test. You will be asked to lie still on an examination table while a special camera takes pictures of your body. Images are recorded on a computer screen for physician interpretation.

Where Do You Report for your Nuclear Medicine Scan?
You should report to Outpatient Admitting which is located on the 1st floor of the hospital. Enter the hospital through the designated "Patient Entrance." You should arrive ½ hour prior to your scheduled appointment. You will be directed by the Admissions Clerk to the Nuclear Medicine Department.

Who will give you the results of your test?
The doctor who reads your nuclear medicine scan will dictate a report which is typed and sent to your doctor. Your doctor should have the results within a few days. Your doctor will give you the results and will discuss those results with you. 

Nuclear Medicine Test Preparation

Adenosine myocardial perfusion scan
Allow five hours. Preparation: Do not eat or drink for 4 hours prior to the test. Do not take for  3 days prior to the test: Drugs that contain caffeine or theophylline. If you are uncertain whether any of your medications may be discontinued, please consult your physician. Do not consume for 24 hours prior to the test: Foods or beverages that contain caffeine including tea, coffee, decaffeinated coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, cocoa, etc.  No smoking the morning of the test.
Treadmill exercise myocardial perfusion scan
Allow five hours. Preparation: Do not eat or drink for 4 hours prior to the test. If you are uncertain whether any of your medications may be discontinued, please consult your physician. Do not smoke on the morning of the test. Wear loose and comfortable clothing and comfortable walking shoes or sneakers.
Hepatobiliary scan (HIDA scan)
Allow two hours. Preparation: No food or fluid for four hours before the exam. Discontinue narcotic medications at least four hours, preferably 24 hours before the exam. If you are uncertain whether any of your medications needs to be discontinued, please consult your physician.
Gallium scan
Allow one hour on the day of injection and approximately two hours for images taken at three days and five to six days post injection.
No preparation.
Thyroid scan
Allow one hour. Preparation: Do not take thyroid hormone preparations (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Armour thyroid) for two weeks and antithyroid medications (PTU, Tapazole) for three days.
Thyroid iodine uptake
Allow three hours the first day and a half-hour the second day. Preparation: Do not take thyroid hormone preparations (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Armour thyroid) for two weeks and antithyroid medications (PTU, Tapazole) for three days. No food or fluid after midnight the night before the first day of testing only.
Bone scan
Allow four to six hours with a long break between initial phase and final images. No preparation.  Drink extra fluids.
Gated cardiac blood pool scans (MUGA scan)
Plan two hours. No preparation.  No smoking after midnight.
Gastric emptying scan
Allow three hours. Preparation: No food or fluid after midnight the night before the exam.
Ventilation Perfusion (VQ) Lung scan
Allow one hour. No preparation.  No smoking after midnight.
Brain SPECT scan
Allow two hours. No preparation. Patient must be able to lay still.
Labeled white blood cell scan
Allow an entire day with two breaks between exam phases. No preparation.
Renal scan
Allow two hours. No preparation.  Stop ACE inhibitors x 1 week in consultation with your physician.  Drink extra fluids prior to the prodedure.
Testicular scan
Allow one hour. No preparation.
Liver/spleen scan
Allow two hours. No preparation.
Hemangioma scan
Allow three hours. No preparation.  No smoking after midnight.
Radionuclide venogram
Allow two hours. No preparation.
Acutect scan
Allow two hours. No preparation.
Cisternography
Test performed over four days. No preparation.
Radionuclide cystogram
Allow two hours. No preparation.
Octreoscan
Allow six hours on day 1 and three hours on day 2. Mild laxative night of day 1.
Parathyroid scan
Allow four hours. No preparation.
Iodine-131 therapy
Allow one hour. Do not eat for four hours prior.