GASTROINTESTINAL BLEED

A nuclear imaging scan of your gastrointestinal (GI) system can help your physician find the source of bleeding in your intestines.

What should I expect?

This drawn blood is mixed with a radioisotope in the lab that binds to your red blood cells.  This process is called labeling. The treated blood is injected back into the vein in your arm and allows us to image where the red blood cells go in your body.

Once the radioactive blood is in your vein, the technologist will take pictures of your abdomen over a period of approximately 60 minutes.

Your appointment is usually scheduled for the morning. Your initial visit will take approximately two hours. Sometimes, you will be asked to return later in the day for additional pictures, which may require an additional 30 minutes.