Nuclear
Medicine
Location:
We are located on the first floor between the Emergency Department and 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 7:00am to 3:00pm.
Procedure Information:
A physician's order is REQUIRED for your Nuclear Medicine procedure to be performed.
Nuclear Medicine uses radioactive pharmaceuticals injected
into the body to produce images of the body. You typically have to wait a
period of time 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:
1) No Prep
2) Return 3-4 hrs after injection for the scan
3) Usually takes 30-60 minutes for images upon return
Stress/Persantine Cardiolites:
Stress Cardiolite patients will walk on the treadmill, while Persantine Cardiolite
Patients will receive persantine which takes the place of walking on the treadmill.
We are unable to do
patients over 400 lbs due to weight limits of our camera.
Following is our 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 test if you have any of these):
1. Pregnant
2. Known or suspected bronchoconstrictive or bronchospastic
(ASTHMA)
3. Known hypersensitivity or allergy to Persantine (dipyridamole)
or aminophylline.
4. Baseline hypotension.
5. If on oral persantine (dipyridamole) (MUST BE HELD 3-4 DAYS IN
ADVANCE).
6. If you have taken any medications, etc. that contain
theophylline within 48 hours of test.
Things to remember:
1. DO NOT use alcohol or tobacco products for 12 hours before
test. This includes Nicotine gum and Nicotine patches.
2. DO NOT drink caffeinated or decaffeinated beverages, chocolate
(eg.Chocolate ice cream) or tea for 24 hours prior to 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.
3. DO NOT stop any medications without speaking to your doctor
first.
4. 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 hour period 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.)
5. DO NOT eat, or drink after mid-night with the exception of a
small drink of water. (Note: Diabetic patients hold all oral
diabetic medications the morning of the test)
6. DO wear comfortable clothes (no blue jeans if walking on
treadmill), a two piece outfit, and comfortable walking shoes are
recommended.
7. 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.
8. Registration is located at the x-ray entrance, just past the
emergency room entrance.
9. The entire test will take approximately 4 hours.
10. Females that weigh over 200 lbs., and males that weigh over
225 lbs., will require a two-day exam with rest portion one day and
the stress portion on the other.
GI Bleed Scan:
1) No prep
2) Takes approximately 2 hrs
Hemangioma Scan:
1) No prep
2) Takes 2 1/2 hrs
Liver/Spleen Scan:
1) No prep
2) Takes 1 hr
Lung Scan:
1) Contraindicated for patients with a right to left cardiac
shunt of pulmonary hypertension.
2) Needs to have a chest x-ray taken within 24 hrs for
interpretation of lung scan.
3) The exam takes 1 hr. Lymphoscintigraphy: 1) No prep 2) Length
of time varies, but usually 1 1/2 - 3 hrs for the procedure.
Meckel's Scan:
1) Nothing to eat or dink for 4 hrs.
2) The exam takes 1hr 15 min
MUGA Scan:
1) No caffeine for 4 hrs before the scan.
2) Takes 1 1/2 hrs.
Nuclear Cholangiogram/HIDA Scan:
1) Nothing to eat or drink after midnight.
2) Usually takes 1-2 hrs, but can be longer.
3) 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:
1) No prep
2) 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:
1) No prep
2) The patient will need to be catherized for the scan.
3) The exam will take about 45 minutes.
RENAL SCANS:
Renal Flow and
Function:
1) Drink 500 ml. of water during the hour before the scan, and
empty bladder as needed.
2) Allow about 1 hour for this test.
Lasix Renal Scan:
1) Diuretics need to be held 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 hr for the procedure
Captopril Renal Scan:
1) Drink 500ml of water during the hour before the procedure.
2) No food for 4 hours before exam
3) The procedure takes 2 1/2 hours
4) Hold diuretics as listed above, the day of the exam.
5) 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 in order
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 or email.
Diagnostic Imaging/Radiology Services at TCRH!
|
