Liver-Spleen Scan
Alternate Names : Liver Scan, Spleen Scan, Liver Scintigraphy, Radioisotope Liver Scan, Radionuclide Liver Scan, Hepatic Scintigraphy
A liver-spleen scan is an imaging test used to examine the liver
and/or spleen. The liver and spleen are both organs inside the abdomen that
have different functions. A radioactive material injected into a person's veins
allows these organs to be imaged with a special x-ray camera.
Who is a candidate for the test?
There are many potential reasons a healthcare provider may want
someone to have a liver-spleen scan. These reasons may include:
to evaluate the size, shape, and position of the liver and spleen. For
instance, some people may have more than one spleen, which this test can easily detect.
to detect abnormal lesions in the liver or spleen, such as a collection
of blood or pus or a tumor
to evaluate the gross function of a diseased liver, such as one affected by hepatitis or cirrhosis. Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver and cirrhosis is permanent scarring of the liver.
to evaluate certain known tumors of the liver
How is the test performed?
The person having a liver-spleen scan is usually asked to change into a
hospital-type gown. An intravenous line, or IV, will be inserted into a vein, usually in the wrist or forearm.
Once the IV is inserted, a radioactive material is injected through the IV into the person's vein. Several minutes after the material is inside the
bloodstream, it gets taken up by the liver and spleen.
Roughly 15 minutes after the injection of the radioactive material, the person is asked to lie on an x-ray table. A special camera rotates around the person and takes pictures of the liver and spleen. The camera works by detecting the radioactive material inside the body. The test is painless. It takes about 30 minutes for all of the pictures to be taken.
|
