Nuclear Medicine is a way of taking images of your body. We use a special camera that detects gamma-rays  given out by a ‘tracer’ that is injected into your body. The tracer contains a small amount of radioactive material which means that your body shows up in the images we take.

Preparing for your scan

Patients attend for a wide range of radionuclide tests. All of these tests can be done on an outpatient basis and do not require an overnight stay.

The length of the test can vary between one and four hours depending on the type of test.

Depending upon the scan you may be asked to take specific actions in preparation for the scan. These will be detailed to you in your appointment letter.

After the procedure

Once the scan has finished the doctor will check the quality of your scan while you wait.  The radiation dose from this procedure is very small and there is no need to make any change to your routine.

There are no side effects from the injection; it will not make you feel sleepy or affect your ability to drive.