What is a whole body thyroid scan?
What is a thyroid whole body scan? A whole body thyroid scan looks to see if there is any residual thyroid tissue remaining after your thyroid has been surgically removed or if any abnormal thyroid tissue exists in other areas of your body.
What is I 131 whole body scan?
An I131 whole body scan uses a radioactive substance (or tracer) to evaluate patients with thyroid cancer for residual thyroid tissue.
How do you scan for thyroid cancer?
Nuclear medicine scan The most common test used for patients with thyroid cancer is a radioiodine scan, which involves swallowing a small amount of radioactive iodine, or I-123. This test is often used in patients with differentiated forms of the disease (papillary, follicular, Hürthle cell).
Why is iodine 131 used for the thyroid gland?
It uses a radioactive form of iodine called iodine 131 (I-131). It is a useful treatment in thyroid cancer because the thyroid gland absorbs and stores most of the iodine in your body. The thyroid gland gets iodine from certain foods and uses this to make essential thyroid hormones.
Can a CT scan tell if a thyroid nodule is cancerous?
CT Scan. Computed tomography, commonly called a CT scan or CAT scan, uses special X-rays to give your doctor a look inside of your body. It can show the size and location of thyroid cancer and whether it has spread to other parts of your body.
How do I prepare for a thyroid scan?
Do not eat or drink for four hours before or two hours after your thyroid test.
- Do not eat or drink for four hours before or two hours after your thyroid test. You may drink water.
- If you have any other test today where you are told not to eat or drink for a longer amount of time, please follow those instructions.
When is a thyroid scan necessary?
A physician may perform these imaging tests to: determine if the gland is working properly. help diagnose problems with the thyroid gland, such as an overactive thyroid gland, a condition called hyperthyroidism, cancer or other growths. assess the nature of a nodule discovered in the gland.