Nuclear Medicine

Brain Scan

• No preparation necessary.
• This test takes about one hour.

Gastric Scan

• Nothing to eat or drink after midnight the night before and until the exam is completed (NPO).
• Six hours prior to study, any medications can be taken with limited sips of water.
• This test takes about two hours.
• If you are diabetic, please bring your insulin in with you. A meal will be given to you as part of your test.

Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleed

• No preparation necessary.
• This test takes anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours.

Infection WBC (All Day Study)

• No preparation necessary.

Liver/Spleen Scans

• No preparation necessary.
• This test takes about 45 minutes.

Gallbladder Scan (HIDA)

• Nothing to eat or drink eight hours before the exam.
• This test takes about four hours.

Bone Scan

• Drink plenty of fluids prior to the exam. There are no restrictions on eating prior to this exam.
• No X-ray barium 24 hours prior to the exam. CT oral contrast (barium) is allowed.
• The scan itself takes about one hour. However, once the IV injection is done, there will be a three-hour wait before the scan begins.

Renal Scan

• No preparation necessary.
• This test takes from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.
• Force fluids prior to study.

Thyroid Uptake and Scan

• This study requires two days for preparation.
• No IVP/Intravenous/ CT scan contrast three months prior to the exam.
• No thyroid medication three weeks prior to the exam.
  • First Day:
    • Nothing to eat four hours before the capsule is taken.
• Second Day:
  • No further preparation necessary.
  • The scan takes about one hour.

Lung Scan (VQ Scan)

• No preparation necessary.
• This test takes about one hour.

Meckel’s Scan

• No preparation necessary.
• This test takes about one hour.

Gated Cardiac (MUGA)

• No preparation necessary.
• This test takes about one hour.

Parathyroid Scan

• No preparation necessary.