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Imaging and Diagnostic Services

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Nuclear Medicine

Location

We are located on the first floor between the emergency department and the lab. Drive around past the ED entrance and turn right into the diagnostic imaging parking lot. There is an outpatient diagnostic imaging entrance that will bring you directly into the registration area. 

Hours of Operation

The Nuclear Medicine department is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. 

Procedure Information

A physician's order is REQUIRED for your Nuclear Medicine procedure to be performed. 

Our imaging department can perform the following scans:

  • Cardiolite Stress Tests
  • MUGA Scans
  • Bone Scans
  • Nuclear Cholangiogram/HIDA Scan-Gallbladder
  • GI bleed Scan
  • Hemangioma Scan
  • Liver/Spleen
  • Perfusion Lung Scan
  • Lymphoscintigraphy
  • Meckels Scan
  • Parathyroid
  • Thyroid
  • Radionuclide Cystogram
  • Renal Scans

Nuclear Medicine uses radioactive pharmaceuticals injected into the body to produce images of the body. You typically have to wait a period after being injected with the radiopharmaceutical before scanning can occur. This is to let the body absorb the radiopharmaceutical.

You will then be placed under a camera that picks up the activity of the radiopharmaceutical in the body part that it was tagged to go to, and takes pictures of it.

The wait time before scanning can start depends on the body part being imaged and the radiopharmaceutical being used.

The following are common Nuclear Medicine procedures and their preps:

Bone Scans:

  • No Prep
  • Return 3-4 hrs after injection for the scan
  • Usually takes 30-60 minutes for images upon return

Stress/Persantine Cardiolites:

  • Stress Cardiolite patients will walk on the treadmill, while LexiScan is administered.
  • Patients will receive persantine which takes the place of walking on the treadmill.
  • We are unable to do patients over 400 lbs due to the weight limits of our camera.

Instruction Sheet:

What is a stress test?
A stress test is usually ordered to help determine your likelihood of having coronary artery disease (CAD). Stress tests can also be used to determine the effectiveness of your cardiac treatment plan. All stress tests involve either exercising on a treadmill or using a medicine to produce similar to exercise. You are closely monitored during any type of stress test with continuous EKG monitoring and frequent blood pressure checks. A doctor is always present or immediately available during a stress test.

CONTRAINDICATIONS to taking the test:
(Do not have the test if you have any of these)

  • Pregnant
  • Known or suspected bronchoconstrictive or bronchospastic (ASTHMA)
  • Known hypersensitivity or allergy to Persantine (dipyridamole) or aminophylline.
  • Baseline hypotension.
  • If on oral persantine (dipyridamole) (MUST BE HELD 3-4 DAYS IN ADVANCE).
  • If you have taken any medications, etc. that contain theophylline within 48 hours of the test.

Things to remember:

  • DO NOT use alcohol or tobacco products for 12 hours before the test. This includes Nicotine gum and Nicotine patches.
  • DO NOT drink caffeinated or decaffeinated beverages, chocolate (eg. Chocolate ice cream), or tea for 24 hours before the test. a. Caffeine or products containing caffeine: Certain medications contain caffeine such as Anacin, Darvon, Norgesic, Excedrin, Goody's Powder, Cafergot and Wigraine, Fiorinal, or any other products that contain caffeine.
  • DO NOT stop any medications without speaking to your doctor first.
  • DO talk to your doctor about which medications you should take before the test, particularly if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. (In general, you should not take any beta-blockers medicines or calcium channel blockers in the 24 hours before an exercise stress test. No long-acting nitroglycerin for 24 hours before a Persantine stress test or theophylline preparations in the 48-hour period before a Persantine stress test.)
  • DO NOT eat, or drink after midnight except a small drink of water. (Note: Diabetic patients hold all oral diabetic medications the morning of the test)
  • DO wear comfortable clothes (no blue jeans if walking on a treadmill), a two-piece outfit, and comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
  • DO bring all of your current medicines (including nonprescription medications) and this order request. DO bring your inhalers if you use them for your breathing.
  • Registration is located at the x-ray entrance, just past the emergency room entrance.
  • The entire test will take approximately 4 hours.
  • Females that weigh over 200 lbs., and males that weigh over 225 lbs., will require a two-day exam with a rest portion on one day and the stress portion on the other.

GI Bleed Scan:

  • No prep
  • Takes approximately 2 hrs

Hemangioma Scan:

  • No prep
  • Takes 2 1/2 hrs

Liver/Spleen Scan:

  • No prep
  • Takes 1 hr

Lung Scan:

  • Contraindicated for patients with a right to left cardiac shunt of pulmonary hypertension.
  • Needs to have a chest x-ray taken within 24 hrs for interpretation of lung scan.
  • The exam takes 1 hour.

Lymphoscintigraphy:

  • No prep
  • Length of time varies, but usually 1 1/2 - 3 hrs for the procedure.

Meckel's Scan:

  • Nothing to eat or drink for 4 hrs.
  • The exam takes 1 hour and 15 min.

MUGA Scan:

  • No caffeine for 4 hrs before the scan.
  • Takes 1 1/2 hrs.

Nuclear Cholangiogram/HIDA Scan:

  • Nothing to eat or drink after midnight.
  • Usually takes 1-2 hrs, but can be longer.
  • Occasionally a small dose of morphine is given to help the gallbladder visualize. In these cases, we would want you to have someone drive you home, and wait 4 hrs before operating a motor vehicle.

Parathyroid Scan:

  • No prep
  • This exam takes about 45 minutes on the first visit and a return for about 20 minutes two hours after the injection of the radiopharmaceutical.

Radionuclide Cystogram:

  • No prep
  • The patient will need to be catheterized for the scan.
  • The exam will take about 45 minutes.

Renal Scans:

Renal Flow and Function:

  • Drink 500 ml. of water during the hour before the scan, and empty the bladder as needed.
  • Allow about 1 hour for this test.

Lasix Renal Scan:

1. Diuretics need to be held on the day of the test.

DIURETICS:

  • Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors:
    • Acetazolamide (Diamox)
    • Dichlorphenamide (Daranide)
    • Methazolamide (Neptazane)
  • Thiazides:Bendroflumethiazie (Naturetin)
    • Benzthiazide (Exna)
    • Chlorthalidone (Diuril)
    • Hydrochlorathiazied (Esidrix, HydorDiuril,Microzide)
    • Indapamide (Lozol)
    • Methyclothiazide (Enduron)
    • Metolazone (Zaroxolyn, Mykrox)
    • Polythiazide (Renese)
    • Quinethazone (Hydromox)
    • Trichlormethiazide (Naqua)
  • Loop Diuretics:Bumetanide (Bumex)
    • Ethacrynic (Edecrin)
    • Furosemide (Lasix)
    • Potassium-Sparing:
    • Amiloride (Midamor)
    • Amiloride and Hydrochlorothiazide (Moduretic)
    • Spironolactone (Aldactone)
    • Spironolactone and Hydrochlorothiazide (Aldactazide)
    • Triamterene (Dyrenium)
    • Triamterene and Hydrochlorothiazide (Dyazide,Maxzide)

2. Drink 500ml of water during the hour before the procedure
3. Allow 1 hour for the procedure

Captopril Renal Scan:

  • Drink 500ml of water during the hour before the procedure.
  • No food for 4 hours before the exam
  • The procedure takes 2 1/2 hours
  • Hold diuretics as listed above, on the day of the exam.
  • Angiotensin Enzyme Inhibitors need to be held for 72 hours before the test.

ACE Inhibitors:

  • Accupril
  • Altace
  • Capoten
  • Lotensin
  • Monopril
  • Prinival
  • Prinizide
  • Vaseretic
  • Vasotec
  • Zestoretic
  • Zestril

ACE Combination Medications:

  • Accuretic
  • Capozide
  • Lexxel
  • Lotensin
  • Prinizide
  • Tarka
  • Teczam
  • Uniretic
  • Vaseretic
  • Zestoretic

Angiotension Receptor Blockers:

  • Atacano
  • Avapro
  • Cozaar
  • Diovan
  • Micardis
  • Tevetan

ARB Combination Products:

  • Avalide
  • Diovan HCT
  • Hyzaar

Thyroid Scan:

  1. No IV contrast (dye) for 1 month before the scan.
  2. Hold anti-thyroid medications for 3 days PTU-Propylthiouracil Tapazole-Methimazole
  3. Hold thyroid hormone replacement for 21 days. Unithyroid Cytomel Biothroid Levoxyl Thyrolar Levo-T Armour Thyroid Synthroid Naturethyroid Levothroid Westthroid
  4. The scan will take about 1 1/2 hours.

Insurance Information

Some insurances REQUIRE that Cardiolyte Stress Tests be preauthorized before they can be performed. This preauthorization is done by your physician's office at the time of scheduling. A preauthorization number must be presented for this procedure to be done. If you have any questions about preauthorization or if you are unsure if the procedure you are scheduled for needs to be preauthorized, please contact your insurance carrier.

If your insurance requires preauthorization and it was not given, you may be asked to sign an ABN stating that you are aware that your insurance will not pay and that you will be billed for the entire amount of the procedure.

For additional information, please feel free to contact Diagnostic Imaging by phone at 276.236.1680.

 

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