Below are instructions for common nuclear medicine procedures. If you have any questions prior to your exam, please call 801-268-7109.

Nuclear Stress Test Preparation | Renal Scan | DaTScan | HIDA Scan | Gastric Emptying

Nuclear Stress Test Preparation

  • NPO (Nothing in your mouth) for 6 hours, you are allowed to have water
  • No chocolate or caffeine for at least 12 hours, but we prefer 24 hours. THIS INCLUDES CHOCOLATE, chocolate does have caffeine in it. Check your medications to make sure they do not have caffeine in it as well. (ie: Excedrin)
  • No Nitro- Patches, sublingual, or long/short acting (isosorbide)
  • This test will take anywhere from 1-2 hours, so please be prepared to be here for that long.
    •  Try not to wear any metal on your chest, including necklaces.
    • Wear loose clothing (two pieces, and light/thin) Wear a t shirt/tank top/or something that can be easily lifted for the EKG portion
    • If you are claustrophobic talk to your doctor before coming in about premedication.
    • You will have to lay on your back for 10-15 minutes at a time with no breaks, we will try to make you as comfortable as possible, and we prefer for your arms to be above your head. Feel free to mention anything that will help you to feel more comfortable.
  • If you are a 2-day stress test, you will be scheduled for 2 appointments on sequential days. On the first day you will need to be fully prepped, on the second day there is no prep. The first day appointment will take about an hour and the second day appointment will take about 45 minutes.

Renal Scan

We will be assessing your kidney function. This scan takes about 45 minutes. We start an IV and inject you with radioactive medicine that will show us how your kidneys are functioning. You will be laying down for about 30 minutes. After the initial injection we will inject you with Lasix at 12 minutes in. You will have to hold your bladder for approximately 18 minutes, so bring extra depends if you where them. After we will have you use the restroom, and then we will take one more 1-minute picture.

Preparation Instructions

  • If you take any diuretics, like Lasix (Furosemide) do not take them 12 hours before your scan.
  • Hydrate with at least 64 oz of water within 4 hours of your scan.
  • You can eat before your exam.
  • Make sure to drink lots of water after your exam as well.

DaTScan

You are scheduled to have a DaTScan. Please make sure you are off of the following medications beforehand.

You will show up at 9:00 on the day of your test, we will give you a pill to take to protect your thyroid 1 hour before giving you your dose and start an IV. Then we will have you wait in the waiting room until 10:00. When we grab you at 10 we will administer the dose and then take out your IV. You will come back 3 hours later for your scan. (most likely 13:00 or 1 pm). When you come back we get you positioned on the camera and image for almost 45 minutes straight. Please make sure to use the restroom before we begin the scan, and understand that you will have to stay still for the entire time. We will do what we can to make you the most comfortable. If you are claustrophobic please reach out to the ordering physician to get some calming medications that are not contraindicated by the list below. If you have any questions feel free to reach out.

Contraindicated Medication and Time

  • Ephedrine, Ketamine, Isoflurane - 1 Day
  • Cocaine, Methylphenidate - 2 Days
  • Methylamphetamine, Mazindol, Modafinil - 3 Days
  • Benztropine, Fentanyl - 5 Days
  • Amphetamine, Dexamphetamine - 7 days
  • Bupropion, Cannabidiol - 8 days
  • Phentermine, Phencyclidine - 14 days

HIDA Scan

For this imaging assessment, we will be checking the function of your gallbladder. We start with an IV, and inject you with a medication can Tc99m Mebrofenin, which binds to your bile. Bile is ejected from your gallbladder into your intestines to help digest food. We will send you back into the waiting room for 1 hour to allow the medication to uptake/distribute into your body. 

After that we will bring you back to see if you Gall bladder is initially filling with bile. If it is we will have you drink an ensure and then scan you for 1 hour continuously. We then take those images and figure out exactly what percent your gall bladder is functioning. If your gall bladder does not fill, we will call our radiologist and there is a possibility that we will give you morphine. If we give you morphine you will need someone to drive you home. If given morphine we will image you for 30 minutes continuously. After you can return to normal life, without restrictions. You will get your results within 2 business days. If you have not heard from your doctor within 2 business days feel free to reach out to your ordering provider for the results.

Preparation

  • NPO (Nothing by mouth) for 6 hours, so no food or water. Do not take your medications you can take them after.
  • No Narcotics for 24 hours
  • The following list of medications should be avoided for the proper time frames associated.
    • Morphine
    • Demerol (Meperidine)
    • Oxycodone
    • Hydrocodone
    • Methadone
    • Percocet
    • Lortab
    • Oxycontin
    • Fentanyl
    • Tramadol

If you have any questions, please call: 801-268-7109

Gastric Emptying

We will be testing your stomach, and Gastrointestinal systems ability to process food. Specifically looking at when you ingest food where and how fast it travels through your body in a 4 hour time period.

We will have you eat radioactive eggs, 2 pieces of bread, and some water. This will be the only thing you eat for the duration of the test.

Preparation

NPO (nothing by mouth) for 6 hours, this includes gum, smoking, vaping, water, food, nothing in your mouth.

The following medications you need to be off for the correlating times

  • Prokinetic- 48 hours
    • Erythromycin
    • Motilium (Domperidone)
    • Reglan (Metoclopramide)
    • Zelnorm (Tegaserod)
  • Antispasmodic- 48 hours
    • Alverine
    • Atropine
    • Dicycloverine
    • Hyoscine
    • Mebeverine
    • Propantheline
  • Proton Pump Inhibitor- 48 hours
    • Omeprazole (Prilosec)
    • Esomeprazole (Nexium)
    • Lansoprazole (Prevacid)
    • Rabeprazole (AcipHex)
    • Pantoprazole (Protonix)
  • Pain Management (Opiates) 48 hours unless requested by ordering physician to stay on them to assess how the medication is affecting emptying.
    • Codeine
    • Demerol
    • Morphine
    • Oxycontin
    • Percocet
    • Percodan
    • Methamphetamine
    • Trazodone