Has anyone had a nuclear scan, what should I expect?

[tk11]

Had results of 7 day test today and echo... I have an enlarged heart, leaking valve and AF (I thought I had a calm week and it would not show up). Fortunately the Angina is quite settled at the moment so they didn't say anything about that.

[Brian101]

Hi tk

It's nothing to worry too much about. They inject you with some stuff - then you sit in the waiting room for about 30 minutes then go into the scan machine. You get a really warm sensation that makes you feel you have wet yourself. And that's about it. I've had a couple over the years - they should change the name cause it he procedure is nothing to be concerned with. They give you the usual speel that one in so many can have a reaction but they do that with everything .

Brian

[tk11]

Thank you Brian 101, was a bit concerned about the exercise needed or stuff they said they would use to put my heart under stress first....they want it while my heart is working hard so not sure I will be sitting around. 

[Brian101]

I think the dye that they inject you with stresses your heart, could be wrong but there was no walking machines like a stress test. One thing I forgot is you have to drink a fair bit of water afterwards to flush the dye from your kidneys but really the whole thing is nothing to worry about

Take care

Brian

[megnben]

Its a doddle so dont worry

They will tell you not to have children on your lap or cuddle babies afterwards as it takes a while to become non nuclear

[wotan]

Agree with all the reply's, mine followed the above pattern. The dye stresses the heart like an exercise stress test.

[BobD Volunteer]

I had something similar when I had prostate cancer (To see if it had got into bones) and they injected me with a special isotope and I had to go away for about two hours so wife and I went shopping. Problem was I set off all the anti theft alarms in shops we walked past. Great fun sticking your head into a shop and watching the results. You get old if you stop playing.

My heart CT scan was fine apart from having to lie still and thinking I had wet myself.

BobD

[Juls54]

I had a nuclear scan and I had to walk on the walking machine , they gave me an injection first then around to do the stress test - then back for the scan and the 2nd injection that makes you feel warm . When doing the stress test I had ECG monitor & oxygen monitor and a Dr present . My stress test was stopped after 3 minutes when my heart went into flutter , I have both AF & Flutter . All in all nothing to worry about all parts of the nuclear scan and stress test are fully supervised by a Dr - you'll be fine

[farmerwalt]

Hi Tk11, Have the same as you plus 1st degree heart block. They inject you with radio active iodine and then monitor the heart, in the scanner, to check the blood flow to the heart muscle. An angiogram only lets them examine the coronary arteries. The nuclear scan shows the blood flow within the heart muscle, so lets them see if any of the capilliaries are blocked. At the time I had mine I was still what they call a "classified worker" and always wore a radiation monitor since I was working with X-ray equipment and other equipment producing radiation. It blackened the film in my film badge,(radiation monitor), so I had some explaining to do. The portable monitor I had for checking the equipment I was working on went "off-scale" for a couple of days until the iodine was flushed out of my system. Since it is flushed out of your body very quickly it doesn't cause any harm.

So, Tk11, just relax, it's very straight forward and nothing to worry about.

Walter.

[rosailor]

Hi framewalt

Do you know if the scanner that tk11 will be scanned on is also known as a gamma camera?

Like you I worked with xrays (medical diagnostic engineering),

screening/general rooms,angio and a bit of C.T.

occasionally was asked to do minor repairs/adjustments on gamma cameras if there was no one else available

[Bikerboy]

It's called a myadardial perfusion scan, and the treadmill is to get your heart rate increased, not that much, it wasn't like a real work out at all! It's strictly supervised, and if you can't manage it, they inject a drug which does the same thing. You're then injected with the "nuclear stuff", and then sit for 30 mins and eat a sandwich they ask you to bring with you, and drink some water. The scanner is a big round thing you're rolled into, and rotates round your upper body. You have to lie still for 30 mins or so, at Royal Preston hospital I was even asked what music I would like to listen to, very relaxing!

Don't worry about it at all - it's nothing, and gives them a good look at how your heart is working under stress - useful and very reassuring when it comes back clear!

[tk11]

Thank you guys really reassured now, glad I asked!

Biker boy it's not confined is it if the roll you into it. I am very claustrophobic too....

blimey I sound like a right scaredy cat.

[Bolander]

Interesting that there seem to be slight differences between the procedure in different hospitals. In my case I was referred for a nuclear scan after failing the treadmill ECG due to poor balance. I was asked to keep off beta blockers for 48 hours beforehand and avoid any caffeine based product after 10pm the previous day, as well as any food or drink on that morning..

The initial phase was an ECG stress test - after an injection to simulate stress I was asked to waggle my feet while squeezing a ball in one hand. Then I was injected with the radioactive substance (unspecified) and told to go away, eat something fatty (apparently to shrink the liver to improve the scan) and come back an hour and a half later. The scan itself took 15 minutes.

The second scan was two days later with no special requirements this time apart from the instruciton to eat someting fatty after the injection. The initial scan was supervised by a doctor and the chief technician - the second scan was just carried out by technicians, presumably as there had been no problems with the first.

I am still waiting for the results and hoping that I will get the all clear. As others have said there is nothing to fear - in my case the people involved (at the Royal Free in London) did their best to explain the procedure and reassure me that I was in good hands.

[tk11]

Hi Bolander, I now know for sure that mine will be exactly the same as yours, the hospital called to arrange the appointment (13th and 15th Jan) I got them to talk me through it. Although they usually stop the beta blockers I must continue mine otherwise all as you said. The machine used is the same one as used for my Angiogram so much more confident thanks.

[tk11 in reply to tk11]

Scan finally due on Monday guys so will let you all know how it goes.

[Jcampol]

Any idea why they told me not to go for the mibi scan at rest? Went for the stress mibi this morning and they called me this afternoon not to go for the second one! Said I should make appointment with my referring doctor.

[tk11]

Jcampol they obviously have pictured what they needed, or maybe a repeat will be of no assistance after their findings. Please don't worry look at it as a positive

[Jcampol in reply to tk11]

Thanks tk11 I just hope I get to know why I constantly get burning in my chest when I walk uphill !

[tk11]

Hopefully now they might have an idea... it is amazing what they can do and discover without being too invasive. I trust my team fully. Good luck to you keep us posted x

[Jcampol in reply to tk11]

Thanks tk11 . I will

[Hidden]

Yes, I had mine at Oxford. Just very noisy, otherwise ok.