What can I expect during a renal scan?
Renal scanning is a test that is often used to test kidney function. During this test, a small amount of radioactive material is injected into the vein. A few minutes later, the machine is used to scan and photograph the kidneys. This test can often determine things such as blood flow to the kidneys, or if the kidney occurs when the kidney leaves, which is known as urine reflux. Renal scanning is a simple outpatient procedure and requires no recovery time for the patient.
Renal scanning will often be ordered by a doctor if the patient is suspected of having kidney disease or impaired kidney function. The aim of this test is to measure the size of the kidneys and also find out whether there is any functional damage, such as urinary reflux or problem with the right blood flow to the kidneys. The side effects on this substance are very rare, so they are considered a safe form of testing. Depending on the drugs that the patient normally uses, the doctor mayIt recommends that they do not take any medicines that could negatively affect the test after the completion of the kidney scanning. It is generally recommended that the patient drinks a lot of fluids before the test.
A few minutes after the injection, the kidney scan itself begins. This consists of several pictures or pictures taken from the kidneys. These pictures are taken a few minutes apart. The whole procedure generally takes 30 minutes to an hour.
After renal scan is completed, the computer will process all information collected from the pictures. This information allows the computer to measure the kidney size and determine the amount of function. Doctor then uses this information to make a diagnosis.
After renal scanning, it is generally advisable to drink a lot of fluids to wash away all radioactive material from the body. In some cases, the patient may determine the results of renal scanning on the same day as the procedure. However, it is more common to get the results of při subsequent visit with an order doctor.