How is a liver scan conducted?
A liver scan uses a radioactive material to check how well the liver or spleen is working and to assess masses in the liver. After a radioisotope has been injected into a vein, a series of pictures are taken of the liver by a scanner. It is particularly valuable because it can provide information about liver function.
How serious is a liver scan?
There are few risks for most people when having a liver scan. Although the injection might cause a bit of discomfort, the amount of radioactive material you receive is tiny. Your liver and spleen, or your bone marrow, will absorb it. A patient might be allergic to the tracers, but this is very rare.
What scans use radioisotopes?
Nuclear scans use radioactive substances to see structures and functions inside your body. They use a special camera that detects radioactivity. Before the test, you receive a small amount of radioactive material. You may get it as an injection.
Is MRI or CT scan better for liver?
Such survey examinations are best undertaken with a contrast-enhanced CT study since CT has high sensibility (93%) and specificity (100%) for detecting hepatic metastases [7]. While US and MRI also have similar accuracy, CT is preferred because it out-performs US and MRI for evaluating the extra-hepatic abdomen [8].
What will liver ultrasound show?
Ultrasound is an excellent front-line diagnostic tool for evaluating the liver. It can help assess the presence of liver disease (such as fatty liver), detect liver lesions, and much more.
What would a liver scan show?
A liver scan may be done to check for diseases such as liver cancer , hepatitis , or cirrhosis . Lesions such as tumors, abscesses, or cysts of the liver or spleen may be seen on a liver scan.
Why do I need a CT scan of my liver?
A CT scan of the liver and biliary tract may be performed to assess the liver and/or gallbladder and their related structures for tumors and other lesions, injuries, bleeding, infections, abscesses, unexplained abdominal pain, obstructions, or other conditions, particularly when another type of examination, such as X- …
What is a radioisotope scan definition?
(RAY-dee-oh-NOO-klide SKAN-ing) A procedure that produces pictures (scans) of structures inside the body, including areas where there are cancer cells. Radionuclide scanning is used to diagnose, stage, and monitor disease. A small amount of a radioactive chemical (radionuclide) is injected into a vein or swallowed.
Do CT scans use radioisotopes?
When used in medical practices, radioisotopes are used particularly for diagnosis and therapy of various medical conditions. In regards to diagnoses, the isotopes are used in conjunction with scanning machines such as MRI, CT scans, and others, to image and diagnose disorders that couldn’t otherwise be seen.
What is a radioactive tracer in a liver biopsy?
This means that a tiny amount of a radioactive substance is used during the procedure to assist in the examination of the liver. The radioactive substance, called a radiopharmaceutical or radioactive tracer, is formed by the addition of a radioactive atom (radionuclide) to a molecule absorbed by normal liver tissue.
What is the radionuclide used in liver scans?
The radionuclide used in liver scans is usually a form of technetium. Once absorbed into the liver tissue, the radionuclide emits a type of radiation, called gamma radiation. The gamma radiation is detected by a scanner, which processes the information into a picture of the liver.
What is a liver-spleen scan?
This procedure may also be referred to as a liver-spleen scan because the spleen often is examined as well due to its proximity and close functional relationship to the liver. A liver scan is a type of nuclear medicine procedure.
How is a CT scan of the liver performed?
The scanner will be placed over the right upper quadrant of the abdomen in order to detect the gamma rays emitted by the radionuclide in the liver tissue. You may be repositioned during the scan in order to obtain views of all the surfaces of the liver. When the scan has been completed, the IV line will be removed.