# Anybody know how a hida-scan/nuclear medicine works?



## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

I tried to ask the technician yesterday - I enjoy knowing how some of the diagnostic machines and procedures work - but he didn't want to tell me a thing.Can anyone explain how a hida-scan machine works? Also, what is nuclear medicine (viewing the cells?).


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## LaurieJ (Sep 3, 2002)

Nuclear medicine is injecting radioactive labled solutions into your body and watching it work its way through your body. The HIDA scan is used to measure your gallbladder function. Just a short answer cause I am out of time to say more.


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## 20995 (Dec 2, 2005)

I think I can field this one, as a former Nuclear Medicine Technologist.The lay version is that a nuclear material is injected into your arm. This material is attached to a chemical that will allow it to travel to your liver and gallbladder. The technologist will take pictures at regular intervals, depending on your institution's protocol. Typically there may be a series of close pictures initially, followed by pictures every 15 min. up to an hour. There is a potential for you to return several times for a few hours after that.What they are looking for is an obstruction of your bile duct, which is a tube that allows your gallbladder to empty its contents into your intestines. A common cause is gall stones, which can typically cause pain after you eat a fatty meal because bile is used in the digestion of fats and the pain would be because the duct is blocked. Let me know if you have any more questions. Not explaining the procedure is the sign of a bad tech, and is in contravention to procedures of informed consent.Here are some resources on the subject:http://www.medicomm.net/Consumer%20Site/tp/tp_c6.htmhttp://www.ohiohealth.com/healthreference/...egory=questionshttp://www.universityhealth.org/body.cfm?id=38070http://www.e-radiography.net/radpath/c/cholelithiasis.htmhttp://health.ivillage.com/digestion/diexams/0,,67lg,00.html


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