Hida Scan

[kayla798]

When having a Hida scan, Do you lay in a machine such as the one of an MRI or what?

[no2u]

At the beginning of a HIDA scan, you are injected with approximately 6 mCi of Technetium-99m radioactive tracer, which radiation exposure-wise is equivalent to having 300 chest X-rays.

For the first hour, you will be laying on your back holding still while the X-ray camera above you picks up the radioactive gamma particles exiting your body.  Then you will either given a drink or an injection of cholecystokinin (CCK) which should stimulate your gall bladder bile release.  You will lay on your back for another 45 minutes of imaging.  The enclosure I was in was similar to those used for MRI and CT scans.

Tc-99m has a half life of 6 hours, so the radiation coming out of your body will be half as much after 6 hours, 1/4 as much after 12 hours, 1/8 as much after 18 hours, etc.

I had it done yesterday.  But if I had known it was equivalent to 300 chest X-rays before having the procedure, I would have refused this test.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
No, the procedure is more like an abdominal ultrasound. You are injected a dye and after 1-2 hours a camera like sensor is placed on the abdomen and pictures taken as in ultrasound.
Hope this helps. Take care!