Exam Preparation

Before your exam, a nuclear medicine technologist will explain the procedure to you and answer any questions you might have. Be sure to tell the technologist if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding. Nuclear medicine tests are usually NOT recommended for pregnant women.

Instructions for individual nuclear medicine exams are listed below.

Nuclear Hepatobiliary Scan

Do not eat or drink anything four hours prior to exam.

Nuclear Renal Scan

Drink at least one large glass of water 30 minutes prior to exam. Patients should void before beginning the exam.

Nuclear Bone Scan

Please drink four to six servings of eight ounce glasses of liquids prior to your second appointment.

Nuclear Gastric Emptying Study

Do not eat, drink, smoke or chew anything after midnight the night before exam.

• The study should be done in the morning because the gastric emptying time varies with the time of day.

   

  Nuclear 1-123 Thyroid Uptake and Scan

  • Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before exam.
  • No thyroid medication should be taken within four weeks prior to exam.
  • The patient must not have had intravenous or intrathecal iodinated contrast material (IVP, CT with contrast, myelogram, angiogram) for at least four weeks.
  • No salt, seafood or multivitamins for at least one week.

   

  Nuclear Technetium Thyroid Scan

  • No thyroid medication should be taken within four weeks prior to exam.
  • The patient must not have had intravenous or intrathecal iodinated contrast material (IVP, CT with contrast, myelogram, angiogram) for at least four weeks.