HIDA Scan - Preparation Requirements

TOTAL DURATION OF STUDY:

2-4 hours

SCANNING TIME:

Approximately 60 minutes per image.

PREGNANCY:

Not contraindicated but clear clinical indication needs to be specified. ACR–SPR Practice Guideline for Imaging Pregnant or Potentially Pregnant Adolescents and Women with Ionizing Radiation

BREAST FEEDING:

Not stopped

MEDICATION:

Morphine must be stopped. Infants should be started on Phenobarb 5 days prior to scan to optimize sensitivity.

PREVIOUS STUDIES:

All radiology required.

BIOCHEMISTRY:

LFT

DIET:

To permit timely gallbladder visualization, the adult patient must have fasted for a minimum of 2 and preferably 6 h before administration of the radiopharmaceutical. Children should be instructed to fast for 2–4 h, whereas infants need to fast for only 2 h before radiotracer injection. In the latter group, clear liquids are permissible, if medically necessary. However, fasting for longer than 24 h (including those on total parenteral nutrition), can cause the gallbladder not to fill with radiotracer within the normally expected time frame. Disregard of the above guidelines may result in a false-positive non-visualization of the gallbladder. Patient should bring a fatty meal for after scan.

HYDRATION:

Patient is encouraged to drink water prior and during study