Clinic secretary and booking appointments:
03-5771188  

What should I bring with me to the test?
Referral letter from your doctor
If you have a previous bone scan result, it should be given to the doctor at the time of the test.

Services provided by the clinic:

• Bone scans, thyroid scans, liver scans, lung scans
• Heart scans

Scanning methods

A minute amount of a radioactive substance called Technetium 99m mdp is injected into the vein and absorbed into the organ being examined.   The organ is then scanned by means of a special camera, called a "gamma camera", enabling any diseased areas, inflammations, degenerative changes or tumoral processes to be detected.

**There is no need to fast or make any special preparation before the scan.

Instructions to the patient:

You must advise the doctor or technician of sensitivity to any substance or medicine before receiving the injection.

• You must wait for 2 – 4 hours after the injection for the substance to be absorbed.
• You must drink gradually 4 glasses of a hot or cold drink during the waiting period.
• You should empty your bladder frequently.
• You may eat during the waiting period.

Test procedure

When the waiting period is over, the technician will call you and tell you to first use the bathroom.  It is important to empty your bladder, because urine accumulated in the bladder interferes with the scan.

Heart scans

Heart scans are used to detect irregularities in heart muscle activity, or locate areas where there is inadequate blood supply or inflammation following an old heart attack.

Physician in charge:  Prof. A. Kleinmann

Dear Patient,

The following are explanations and instructions for a thallium SPECT heart scan.  To ensure the success of the procedure, please read them carefully and follow the instructions.

Please bring to every examination:

• Form 17
• Referral letter
• Medical summary and previous test results

Please wear comfortable (two-piece) clothing for the stress test.
Please come with a light snack (sandwich), and armed with patience.

First stage:

The exercise stress test:   You will walk on a treadmill until you attain your maximum level of exertion, and then a small amount of the radioisotope thallium 201 is injected into a vein.  If you are unable to perform the exercise test, you will be given an intravenous infusion of the drug dipyridamole to mimic the effects of exercise on the heart.  A few minutes after the exercise you will lie down under a computerized camera, called a gamma scintillation camera, which photographs the heart from different angles.  This takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes.   You will then be allowed to drink, have a light snack, and take medication as usual.

Second stage:

Two to four hours later you will be called to take a further scan.  In certain cases you will be asked to come back the next day for a further series of scans.  The test results will either be handed to you after the test or mailed to you, and your treating physician will explain the results to you.

• Diabetics taking insulin must take it as usual on the day of the test, and inform the receptionist accordingly.

• Patients undergoing an exercise stress test on a treadmill must not drink tea, coffee, coca cola or chocolate (containing caffeine) for 24 hours before the test.

• You must fast for 4 hours before the test.

• You are allowed to drink only water!

Mononit,  Monolong, Pressolat,  Levozem, Isotard, Adalat, Ikacor, Cardizem, Nitroderm, Osmo-adalat, Dilatam

Medications to be stopped 48 hours before the test:

Deralin, Ikapress, Concor,  Lopressor, Normalol, Metopress, Normiten

If you are unable to stop these medications for medical reasons, you should either continue taking them as usual on the day of the test or consult your physician.

For a dipyridamole thallium scan there is no need to stop taking medication.