Nuclear Medicine Datscan

When the patient arrives for a DaTscan they will drink a cup of water to 10-15 drops of iodine to block the thyroid during scanning. 20 minutes later the patient is injected with 10 mci I123 datscan nuclear agent.  Imaging using a GE Entegra Nuclear Medicine gamma camera takes place 3 hours after injection and lasts about 45 minutes to 1 hour. After the images are taken the doctor will be able to determine whether or not the symptoms are a result of a parkinsonian syndrome (PS) or essential tremor (ET).

What to expect during the procedure:

• Patient’s will be asked to lie still on a table while a special camera positioned above them obtains the necessary images.
• Please call our office to discuss detailed preparation for this exam.