What Is Nuclear Medicine?
Nuclear medicine specialists use safe, painless, and cost-effective techniques to image the body and treat disease. Nuclear medicine imaging is unique, because it provides doctors with information about both structure and function. It is a way to gather medical information that would otherwise be unavailable, require surgery, or necessitate more expensive diagnostic tests. Nuclear medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities very early in the progress of a disease long before many medical problems are apparent with other diagnostic tests.
Nuclear medicine uses very small amounts of radioactive materials (radiopharmaceuticals) to diagnose and treat disease. In imaging, the radiopharmaceuticals are detected by special types of cameras that work with computers to provide very precise pictures about the area of the body being imaged. In treatment, the radiopharmaceuticals go directly to the organ being treated. The amount of radiation in a typical nuclear imaging procedure is comparable with that received during a diagnostic x-ray, and the amount received in a typical treatment procedure is kept within safe limits.
Today, nuclear medicine offers procedures that are essential in many medical specialties, from pediatrics to cardiology to psychiatry. New and innovative nuclear medicine treatments that target and pinpoint molecular levels within the body are revolutionizing our understanding of and approach to a range of diseases and conditions.
HIDA
SCAN:
Definition:
HIDA scan is an imaging procedure that helps your doctor track the production and flow of bile from your liver to your small intestine. Bile is a fluid produced by your liver that helps your digestive system break down fats in the foods you eat.
A HIDA scan, which stands for hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan, creates pictures of your liver, gallbladder, biliary tract and small intestine. A HIDA scan can also be called cholescintigraphy, hepatobiliary scintigraphy or hepatobiliary scan.
A HIDA scan is a type of imaging study called a nuclear medicine scan. This means the HIDA scan uses a radioactive chemical or tracer that helps highlight certain organs on the scan.
Why it’s done:
Your doctor may order a HIDA scan to track the flow of bile from your liver to your small intestine, and also to evaluate your gallbladder. This may help in the diagnosis of several diseases and conditions, such as:
Your doctor may use a HIDA scan as part of a test to measure the rate at which bile is released from your gallbladder (gallbladder ejection fraction).
Risks:
A HIDA scan carries few risks. Risks may include:
Tell your doctor if there's a chance you could be pregnant or if you're nursing. In most cases nuclear medicine tests, such as the HIDA scan, aren't performed in pregnant women because of potential harm to the fetus. Women who are breast-feeding may need to stop for a few days after the HIDA scan.
The amount of radioactive tracer injected into your arm during a HIDA scan is very small. The radioactive tracer gives off radiation for several hours and then becomes inactive. The gamma camera that takes pictures of your liver, gallbladder, bile duct and small intestine during a HIDA scan doesn't give off any radiation. If you're concerned about the amount of radiation you'll be exposed to during a HIDA scan, talk with your doctor.
How you prepare:
To prepare for your HIDA scan, your doctor may ask you to:
Fast for a few hours. Recommendations vary, but expect to fast for two or more hours before your HIDA scan. You may be allowed to drink clear liquids.
Delay taking some medications. Certain medications may interfere with your HIDA scan, so your doctor may ask that you delay taking your medications on the day of your scan. Tell your doctor about any medications you're taking.
Take medications that enhance the scan. Certain medications may make it easier for your doctor to interpret the results of your HIDA scan. Whether you need to take this type of medication depends on the reason for your scan. In some cases you may start taking this medication a dew days before your scan. In other cases you may receive an infusion of a medication in addition to the radioactive tracer that's injected immediately before or during your HIDA scan.