Parathyroid scan

You will visit the hospital scanning department twice on the same day when having this scan.

Before the scan, you have an injection of a radioactive substance called sestaMIBI. The radiation dose is low and unlikely to harm you. But always tell your doctor or staff in the scanning department before the scan if:

• you are, or think you could be, pregnant
• you are breastfeeding.

The person doing the scan injects the radioactive substance into a vein in your arm. Then you wait for about 10 minutes for your parathyroid glands to absorb the substance. After this, a camera that detects radioactivity moves around your head and takes pictures of your neck. This is called a gamma camera. You need to lie still for about 40 minutes while this happens. Tell your doctor or the staff doing the scan if:

• you think you might not be able to lie still
• you find it difficult to be in closed-in spaces (claustrophobia).

After the first part of the scan, you can leave the scanning department. You then go back, usually after 2 to 3 hours, to have more pictures taken of your neck. This may take 30 to 40 minutes.
If you are taking thyroid medications, you may need to stop taking them before you have the scan. Your doctor will advise you about this.