How to Prepare for Your Nuclear Medicine Test

It is very important to follow these instructions for the test to be performed safely and properly and to have accurate results. If you are unsure about any part of this please contact your referring doctor or your primary care physician.

Please notify our staff and your doctor of any pre-existing conditions or if you are pregnant.

Please read carefully! The instructions are different for every test.

Whole Body Bone Scan

This test requires no preparation.

The patient comes in for an injection and returns 2 to 3 hours later for a scan that takes 20 to 30 minutes

For certain conditions doctors will prescribe this test along with a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis. In this case, you will have the CT right after your nuclear medicine injection.

3 Phase Bone Scan

This test requires no preparation.

The patient comes in for an injection and initial images that take 30 minutes.

The patient returns 2 to 3 hours later for a scan that takes 20 to 30 minutes.

Thyroid Uptake Scan

This is a 2-day scan!

  • You will be required to come in two days in a row at the same time.

Are you allergic to seafood, shellfish or iodine?

  • You must notify our staff and your referring physician!

Have you had a test with an iodine-based contrast injection (e.g. CT with contrast) in the last 6 weeks?

  • If so, please schedule the test for 6 weeks after the contrast injection

Have you ever had a radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid gland?

  • If so, please let us know when.

You may not eat seafood for a minimum of 3 days before the test.

You must be off the following vitamins and medications for the corresponding amount of days for the test to work properly.

  • Vita Centrum or any multivitamins containing iodine – do not take 10 days before the test.
  • Synthroid – do not take 4-6 weeks before the test.
  • Cytomel – do not take 2-3 weeks before the test.
  • PTU, Tapazol – do not take 7-10 days before the test.

The patient may not eat on the 1st day of the test.

  • If the appointment is for the afternoon, the patient must fast for 6 hours.
  • If the patient is elderly or diabetic they may have a light meal.

On the 1st day the patient comes in and swallows a capsule.

  • The patient then comes back in 2 hours for a 15-minute scan.

On the 2nd day the patient may eat and comes in for a 1-hour scan.

Renal Scan

This test requires no preparation.

The patient comes in for an injection and a scan of the kidneys that takes 45 minutes.

Lasix Renal Scan

No liquids the day of study, solid food only.

The patient comes in for a Lasix injection and a scan that takes 45 minutes.

Captopril Renal Scan

The patient is not allowed to take any blood pressure medications the morning of the test.

  • If you are on blood pressure medication please consult your doctor.

The patient’s doctor writes a prescription for Captopril and the patient is responsible for filling the prescription and bringing it to the appointment.

On the day of the test:

  • The patient must bring the Captopril to the appointment.
  • The patient comes in for a blood pressure check.
  • The patient takes the Captopril and we monitor his blood pressure for 1 hour.
  • The patient is given 3 glasses of water to drink.
  • The patient receives an injection followed by a scan that takes about 45 minutes.
  • The whole procedure takes about 2 hours.

Hepatobiliary-Gallbladder Scan

The patient may not eat starting from midnight before the test.

The patient receives an injection (Disida, Hida, Pipida).

The right upper quadrant of the abdomen is scanned.

Serial images are obtained over 1 hour.

Parathyroid Scan

This test requires no preparation.

The patient comes in for an injection and waits 30 minutes.

The patient is scanned for about 20 minutes.

The patient then returns 2 hours after the initial injection for a second scan which takes about 1 hour.

Total procedure time is 2 ½ hours.

Gastric Emptying Scan

The patient may not eat after midnight the night before the test.

For a Solid-Emptying Scan

  • The patient eats a cooked egg.
  • The patient then lays flat on his or her back while a gamma camera records images over a 90 minute period.

For a Liquid-Emptying Scan

  • The patient eats oatmeal.
  • The patient then lays flat on his or her back while a gamma camera records images over a 90 minute period.

Liver/Spleen Scan

This test requires no preparation.

The patient is given an IV injection and rests in the waiting room for ½ hour. After that the patient lays on a table while multiple images of the liver and spleen are taken.

The test takes 1 hour.

MUGA Scan

This test requires no preparation.

The technologist takes a blood sample from the patient and labels the Red Blood Cells with a radioactive tracer.

The blood is re-injected after 20 minutes into the patient’s bloodstream.

The patient lies face up on the table while three sets of images are taken (about 10 minutes each).

The whole procedure takes about 1 hour.

Nuclear Stress Test

Please see a detailed explanation of the test on page How to Prepare for Your Nuclear Stress Test.