A thyroid nuclear medicine scan provides your doctor with information that measure function to detect an overactive or underactive thyroid.

Exam preparation

• A CDI representative will call you prior to your appointment to provide specific instructions, and review health and insurance information.
  
• Please bring previous imaging study results (x-ray, MRI, CT, etc.) such as reports, films or CD-roms if available.
  
• Notify a member of CDI’s staff if you are nursing or if there is a chance you could be pregnant.
  
• Please arrive 15 minutes early to verify your registration and health information.

During the exam – what to expect

• You will lie down on a scanning table and receive an I.V. in your arm or hand.
  
• A radioactive contrast (dye) agent is injected into your vein that will give off energy “rays.”
  
• The substance will travel through the body and collect in the thyroid.
  
• A gamma camera will move over you and collect images and measurement based on the energy (gamma rays) being emitted from the thyroid.
  
• While the images are being obtained, you must remain as still as possible. This is especially true when a series of images is obtained to show how an organ functions over time.

After the exam – what to expect

• A radiologist who specializes in a specific area of the body reviews your images (i.e., a body radiologist will review the images of your thyroid).
  
• The radiologist prepares a diagnostic report to share with your doctor.
  
• Your doctor will consider this information in context of your overall care, and talk with you about the results.
  
• Most of the radioactivity passes out of your body in urine or stool. The rest simply disappears through natural loss of radioactivity over time.

If you have additional questions about your appointment or our services, check out our Frequently Asked Questions or contact your local CDI center.