What is a nuclear medicine scan?
Nuclear medicine scans use tiny amounts of radioactive materials (isotopes), a special camera and a computer to create images from various parts of the body.
What can we expect?
Your child may receive isotope injection by either mouth or bladder. Depending on the type of scan, we may also have to insert a small catheter into your child's bladder, so your child may experience some discomfort.
Your child may need to be sedated. Learn more about sedation and how to prepare for your child's medical imaging procedure.
How long does it take?
Most visits take up to three hours, since many of these exams require several pictures to be taken at different times.
What happens after the exam?
Isotopes are normally excreted via the kidneys or through stool, and are gone from your child's system within three days. Your referring physician typically receives results within 48 hours of the exam.
What is the hospital's role in the development of nuclear medicine?
Since the 1950s, nuclear medicine has been a specialty at Children's Memorial, with the hospital's pediatric radiologists pioneering procedures that today are commonplace in pediatric nuclear settings throughout the world.
In addition, our radiologists, all certified by the American Board of Nuclear Medicine, have developed a dosing regimen that keeps administered radiation doses at the absolute minimum necessary to obtain the required diagnostic results. Learn more about our leadership role in the Image Gently campaign.