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Studies Requiring Patient Preparation
(An asterisk "*" indicates that the scheduling physician or his nurse must speak to a
nuclear medicine physician when scheduling the study.)

ACE-Inhibited Renal Scintigraphy *

Best results will be obtained if all ACE-inhibitor medication is held for 2-3 days before the examination.

Blood Volume *

No therapeutic phlebotomy for 3-4 weeks.

Gastric Emptying Study *

No food after midnight on night before the test (if patient is diabetic, discuss with nuclear medicine physician for further instructions).

Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy *

No food for 4 hours before the examination.

MIBG Scintigraphy *

Many interfering medications and need to block thyroid gland before the test. Call for further information.

Myocardial perfusion imaging (Nuclear Medicine Strest test of the Heart)

No food after midnight on night before the test (if patient is diabetic, discuss with nuclear medicine physician for further instructions).

No caffeinated or decaffeinated beverages (including coffee, tea, hot chocolate, colas and most other soft drinks) the evening before the examination or on the morning of the examination (and it is preferable to avoid any coffee or caffeine for a full 24 hours prior to the exam).

Octreotide Scintigraphy *

It is preferable (but not essential) to discontinue treatment with Sandostatin® for 24 hours before the examination.

PET Imaging *

See PET Exam Information for Patients page.

Schilling Test *  (without intrinsic factor)

No vitamin B12 shots for 7-10 days before the study. No vitamin pills containing vitamin B12 for 1-2 days before the study.

No food on the morning of the examination.

Must be able to collect all urine for 24-48 hours after the start of the study.

Thyroid Scintigraphy *

Discontinue thyroid hormone pills for at least 2 weeks before the study. No iodinated contrast agents for 7-10 days before the study.

Thyroid Uptake and Treatment *

Discontinue propylthiouracil or methimazole at least 3 days before the appointment. No iodinated contrast agents for 3-4 weeks before the study. For women of childbearing age who have not had a tubal ligation or hysterectomy, a pregnancy test should be obtained as close as possible (maximum 7 days) to the day of treatment with I-131. Patient must not be breast-feeding or recently lactating.  Unless the patient has had known longstanding Graves' disease or toxic nodular goiter, thyroid function tests (especially TSH) within 3 weeks of the scheduled appointment are recommended.

Whole Body Iodine-131 Scintigraphy *

Discontinue thyroid hormone pills for 2-3 weeks before the study, with measurement of serum TSH a few days before the examination. No iodinated contrast agents for 3-4 weeks before the study. For women of childbearing age who have not had a tubal ligation or hysterectomy, a pregnancy test should be obtained within 7 days before administration of I-131. Patient must not be breast-feeding or recently lactating.

Further information on our exams is available by discussion with a nuclear medicine physician at (314) 362-2802, as well as in our division procedure manual.