Please report to Admitting 15 minutes before your
scheduled exam time.
PREP:
No contrast studies such as CT scans or kidney
x-rays 4 weeks prior to scan. Must be off thyroid medications for 3-4
weeks prior to scan. Thyroid lab levels are required. Nothing solid to eat
after midnight the night before the exam. After the capsule is taken you
will need to wait 1 hour before eating solid food. At that time there are
no further limitations to eating or drinking for the remainder of the
exam. Females of child bearing age will be required to take a serum
pregnancy test (blood-work) prior to the exam to ensure they are not
pregnant.
PURPOSE:
A Thyroid Scan is done to study the size, shape, and
function of the thyroid gland.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
This is a 2-day test. (Day 1) You will be given a
small capsule of radioactive iodine to swallow and asked to return at 4
and 24 hours for the exam. The technologist will inform you of the exact
times to return. At 4 hours you will return directly to the Radiology
Dept. for a reading of your thyroid. The reading shows whether your
thyroid gland is functioning normally, over-functioning (hyperthyroid), or
under-functioning (hypothyroid). (Day 2–24 hours) You will return
directly to the Radiology Dept. at your scheduled time. A reading as well
as scans of your thyroid gland will be taken.
TIME FRAME:
(Day 1) 20 minutes at initial exam time. Four hour
reading – 10 minutes.
(Day 2) 45 minutes
POSSIBLE
COMPLICATIONS: Minimal to no side effects
from the radioactive isotope.
IF YOU ARE PREGNANT,
INFORM THE TECHNOLOGIST BEFORE THE EXAM.
|
