Lung Scan
What is a lung scan?
A lung scan is performed to look for blood clots in the lung.
What should I do to prepare for a lung scan?
There is no special preparation for this study.
Liver and Spleen Scan
Image of Liver and Spleen Scan
Hepatobiliary Scan (HIDA)
What is a HIDA scan?
A HIDA scan may be performed to assess gallbladder function and obstruction, or to look for bile leaks.
Gastric Emptying Study
What is a Gastric Emptying Study?
A gastric emptying study is performed to evaluate how the stomach is processing food.
What should I do to prepare for the exam?
Do not eat any food after midnight on the day of exam. Water is okay. This test should be done in the morning.
Cardiac Gated Blood Pool Scan (MUGA)
What is a multiple gated acquisition (MUGA) study and how do I prepare for it?
A MUGA scan is performed to assess cardiac (heart) function (left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac wall motion abnormalities).
There is no special preparation for a MUGA scan.
Cardiac Nuclear Medicine Stress Test
What is a Cardiac Nuclear Medicine Stress Test?
A Cardiac Nuclear Medicine Stress Test is performed to look for blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and at stress.
This test has three parts − rest imaging, stress phase (done in cardiology), and stress imaging.
Brain Scan
What is a brain scan?
A brain scan is done to check brain perfusion and function. The radioactive tracer will localize in areas of increased flow or be absent in areas of decreased flow.
What should I do to prepare for a brain scan?
There is no preparation for a brain scan.
Bone Scan
What is a Bone Scan?
A bone scan is performed to look for areas of the bone that show areas of increased activity due to fractures, arthritis, infection, or metastatic lesions.
Pelvic MRI
Gynecologic Pelvic MRI
Most patients having MRI for gyncecologic pathology will receive an injection of intramuscular glucagon prior to imaging. This is a natural hormone known to slow bowel peristalsis and thus diminish MRI artifacts.
Brain and Spine MRI
MRI and MR Angiography (MRA) of the Brain
MRI is in many cases the diagnostic method of choice for evaluating a variety of symptoms from headaches to seizures, hearing and visual loss to loss of consciousness, and strokes. MRI is also used to evaluate lesions seen but not fully assessed by CT.