How is the procedure performed?

Nuclear medicine imaging is usually performed on an outpatient basis, but is often performed on hospitalized patients as well.

The type of nuclear medicine examination will determine how the radiotracer is introduced into your child's body:

• Intravenous: a small needle is used to inject the radiotracer. The needle is removed immediately after. At times, an indwelling intravenous catheter may be needed for the duration of the exam.
• Oral: for some exams, the radiotracer is taken by mouth, such as for a gastroesophageal reflux test.
• Inhaled: occasionally the radiotracer will be inhaled as a gas via a mask, such as with a lung scan.
• Bladder: some exams require a catheter to be inserted into the bladder, such as with a vesicoureteral reflux study.

It can take several seconds to a few days for radiotracers to travel through your child’s body and accumulate in the organ or area being studied. As a result, imaging may be done immediately, a few hours later, or even a few days after your child receives the radioactive material.

When it is time for the imaging to begin, your child will lie down on an examination table. The gamma camera will then take a series of images. The camera may rotate around your child or the camera will stay in one position and your child will be asked to change positions in between images. While the camera is taking pictures, your child will need to remain still for brief periods of time. Actual scanning time varies from 20 minutes to several hours. Examinations that require longer imaging times may necessitate sedation for your child. You will receive instructions prior to the exam if your child will need sedation for the imaging.

During this procedure, parents are usually allowed and often encouraged to stay in the room. The exception to this is if the child’s mother is pregnant.

When the examination is completed, your child will be asked to wait until the nuclear physician checks the images in case additional images are needed.