Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Introduction
We have given you this factsheet because you have an appointment for a nuclear medicine study.
Please make sure you read this information and follow the instructions carefully before your procedure. If you have any further questions, please speak to a member of your healthcare team who will be able to advise you.
What is nuclear medicine?
Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that involves giving a patient a small amount of radioactive medication, called a radiopharmaceutical. This makes the body slightly radioactive for a short time.
A special nuclear medicine camera detects the radiation, which is emitted from the body, and creates images or pictures for the radiologist (doctor specializing in imaging) to interpret. The radioactive medication is most commonly injected into the blood stream through a vein, but might be given in other ways, including:
- Swallowed
- Inhaled (breathed in)
- Injected directly into the tissue beneath the skin
A radiopharmaceutical is a medication used in nuclear medicine that has a radioactive part and a pharmaceutical part:
The radioactive part is an unstable element (radioisotope) that gives off energy as it decays (disintegrates or breaks down) and changes to a different element or energy state. The body does not feel the ionizing radiation, and it does not make you ‘warmer’ or ‘glow in the dark’. The dose of ionising radiation received during a nuclear medicine test is determined by the type and amount of radiopharmaceutical injected, the half-life of the radioisotope and how quickly this is eliminated from the body in urine, stools or breath. The half-life is the time taken for half of the radioactive atoms to decay or change their energy state and for most radioisotopes used in nuclear medicine, this half-life is measured in hours, so after a day or so there is very little radioactivity remaining.
The pharmaceutical part can be a few atoms or a complex molecule that helps take the radioactive part to the area of the body being studied.
In many cases, there will be a delay between the time you are given the radiopharmaceutical, and the time the images are actually taken. This gives the radiopharmaceutical time to flow through the body and concentrate in the organ that is being examined.
Preparation for the Examination
If you are taking tablets (or other drugs) there is usually no need to change any regular treatment.
If you are, or may be, pregnant or are breast-feeding, please give us this information prior to the injection. The substance injected can reach the baby and it is important that any precautions are discussed with your Specialist.
Please where possible avoid bringing friends or relatives (especially children) along to your scan unless necessary. Due to the nature of a nuclear medicine study, we would like to minimise the extent of radiation exposure to other individuals as far as reasonably possible.
On Arrival
For children under 5 years old
When you arrive at the hospital, please come straight to F1 (the Children's Ward) and report to the Nurse in charge.
Local anaesthetic cream will be applied onto a small area on the back of both hands and when it has taken effect (after approximately 40 minutes) and the skin is numb, a doctor or nurse will insert a small tube (cannula) in the back of one hand which will then be covered by a bandage. You will then be directed to the Radiology Department for Nuclear Medicine exam
For children above 5 years old
When you arrive at the hospital, please come straight to Children Out-Patient Department 2 and report to the Nurse in charge.
Local anaesthetic cream will be applied onto a small area on the back of both hands and when it has taken effect (after approximately 40 minutes) and the skin is numb, a doctor or nurse will insert a small tube (cannula) in the back of one hand which will then be covered by a bandage. You will then be directed to the Radiology Department for Nuclear Medicine exam.
Radiology Arrival All Patients
The department is located on the ground floor of Frimley Park Hospital. You should follow the directions from the main entrance.
On arrival, you should check in at the reception desk. Bring this letter with you and be prepared to confirm your details with the receptionist. Please allow time to do this prior to your appointment time and bear in mind that the reception may be busy. Once you have been booked in you will be directed to the waiting area. Please be aware that patients are attending for different examinations and patients who arrive after you may be called before you. The department can be very busy, so please come alone or only bring one relative or friend with you.
All patients aged 12-55 (regardless of gender) who will undergo a Radiology procedure will be asked about the possibility of them being pregnant.
The Examination
Your procedure will be performed by a technician who is specially trained in Nuclear Medicine. You will be given a small injection of radio-active tracer which, over time, will be absorbed into your kidneys; it takes approximately 2-3 hours for this to occur. After the injection, you are free to leave the hospital and given a time to return later for your scan during which time you will be asked to hydrate (tea, coffee or water). You do not need a full bladder for the scan.
During the scan, you will lie on a bed. The gamma camera will come quite close to your body. The gamma rays are emitted from your body and the gamma camera and computer acquire and process the information and build up a picture. The scan itself will take approximately 15-30 minutes.
After the Examination
You must drink plenty of fluid for the rest of the day. This is to help wash the radio-activity out of your body through the urine. The rest will disappear naturally. You will be free to resume your daily activities, but please avoid close, prolonged contact (more than 30 minutes within 1 metre) with pregnant people, babies and small children for 12hrs after your injection.
Travel Advice
It is perfectly safe for you to travel abroad after your scan, but many airports and sea ports are now equipped with very sensitive radiation detectors so it is possible that the very small amount of radioactivity left in your body could set off a detector as you pass through security. Therefore, if you intend to travel abroad within a week following your scan, it could be important to take with you something to explain that you have recently had a nuclear medicine scan. This could be your appointment letter or other official confirmation from the department where you had your scan.
The Results
The Radiologist will interpret your study and report the results to your referring doctor, who will in turn discuss them with you. Normally this takes about 14 days. If you have been referred by your GP practice, make a follow up appointment 14 days from the examination.
If you have been referred from an Outpatient clinic you will receive your results at your next clinic attendance.
Risks of Procedure
There are some risks involved with Nuclear medicine studies as ionising radiation is used. Everyone receives ionising radiation every day from radioactivity in the air, food we eat and the sun. Your age, size and the type of scan will influence the amount of medical radiation used and the theoretical risks from the radiation. The benefit of the scan is making the correct diagnosis or treatment plan and a radiology specialist has agreed that this benefit outweighs the risks of radiation exposure.
The radiographers are trained to obtain the best possible imaging using the lowest amount of radiation possible, the equipment is regularly checked to ensure it is safe and effective and the amount of radioactivity you receive in this study is strictly controlled to be within the recommended national levels set in the United Kingdom.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Radiology service.
About this information
Service:
Radiology
Reference:
PILS-NM.3
Approval date:
21 October 2024
Review date:
21 October 2027
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.