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How you prepare
By Mayo Clinic staffTo prepare for your HIDA scan, your doctor may ask you to:
- Fast for a few hours. Expect to fast for a minimum of four hours before your HIDA scan. You may be allowed to drink clear liquids.
- Delay taking some medications. Certain medications may interfere with your HIDA scan, so your doctor may ask that you delay taking your medications on the day of your scan. Tell your doctor about any medications you're taking.
- Take medications that enhance the scan. Certain medications may make it easier for the nuclear radiologist to interpret the results of your HIDA scan. Whether you will need these medications depends on the reason for your scan. In some cases you may receive an infusion or injection of a medication in addition to the injected radioactive tracer. The medications may be injected immediately before or during your HIDA scan. In rare instances you may be asked to start taking a medication a few days before your scan.
References
- Tulchinsky M, et al. SNM practice guideline for hepatobiliary scintigraphy 4.0. Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology. 2010;38:210.
- General nuclear medicine. RadiologyInfo.org. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=gennuclear&bhcp=1. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Practice guideline for the performance of adult and pediatric hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Reston, Va.: American College of Radiology. http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/guidelines/nuc_med/hepatobiliary_scintigraphy.aspx. Accessed Sept. 14, 2010.
- Lambie H, et al. Tc99m-hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scintigraphy in clinical practice. Clinical Radiology. 2011;66:1094.
- Hoekstra L, et al. Physiological and biochemical basis of clinical liver function tests. Annals of Surgery. 2013;257:27.
- Nathan MA. (Expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 12, 2013.
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