A nuclear medicine thyroid cancer ablation is used to ablate residual thyroid tissue after a thyroidectomy and used to ablate reoccurrence of thyroid cancer.

Exam Preparation

• A CDI representative will call you prior to your appointment to provide specific instruction, and review health and insurance information.
  
• Please bring previous imaging study results (x-ray, MRI, CT, etc.) such as reports, films, and CD-ROMS, if available.
  
• Please arrive 15 minutes early to verify your registration and health information.
  
• Please notify a CDI representative if there is a chance you could be pregnant.

During the exam – what to expect

• This is a two-day exam. The first day will take approximately 30 minutes.
  
• You will be given a list of instructions that you will be asked to sign and to follow for several days following the treatment.
  
• A radiologist specialized in nuclear medicine will talk to you about the treatment, instructions and answer any questions you may have.
  
• You will be given a capsule to swallow and asked not to have anything to eat or drink for 1 hour following the treatment.
  
• The second day of the exam occurs a week after you take the treatment.
  
• You will lie comfortably on a scan table. You will be imaged from head to toe with a gamma camera.

After the exam – what to expect

• A radiologist who specializes in a specific area of the body will review your images.
  
• 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 disappear 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.