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MIBG scintiscan - Risks

Alternative Names

Adrenal medullary imaging; Meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintiscan

What the risks are:

There is some exposure to radiation from the radioisotope. Because the radiation from this radioisotope is fairly high compared to most others, some precautions may be necessary for a few days after the test. Your health care provider will tell you about specific precautions, which may include flushing the toilet twice after each use (to dilute radioactive material excreted in the urine).

Before or during the test, you may be given an iodine solution to prevent excess iodine from being absorbed into the thyroid.

This test should NOT be done on pregnant women because of the danger to the fetus from radiation.

Special considerations:

The radioisotope is costly and may not be available in all medical facilities.

Because the radiation from this radioisotope is fairly high compared to most other radioisotopes, some precautions may be necessary for a few days after the test.

Your health care provider will tell you about specific precautions, which may include flushing the toilet twice after each use (to dilute any radioactive material that passed out through the urine).

Thyroid enlargement - scintiscan

MIBG injection

Reviewed last on: 2/23/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Young WF. Adrenal medulla, catecholamines, and pheochromocytoma. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 246.

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