Scintigraphy is not one of the most popular methods, although on the other hand it is perceived as a modern diagnostic tool, which is used in the imaging technique. It uses radioisotopes and is classified by scope as a sub-field of nuclear medicine. It owes its growing popularity to the precise and minimally invasive diagnostic tools used during this examination. Thanks to them, it is possible to measure the ability of individual tissues and organs to accumulate specific compounds or chemical elements. It is a test that is performed to diagnose diseases of the skeletal system, lungs, thyroid, heart, and bile ducts. Pregnancy is a contraindication to this test.
What is scintigraphy?
Renal isotope study substitution is also called renoscintigraphy or scintigraphy. Examples of tests performed in this area are kidney scintigraphy, isotope renography, isotopic renoscintigraphy – an imaging method examining the structure and function of the kidneys. Assumptions about scintigraphy relate to the belief that some tissues have the ability to absorb chemicals, which results, for example, in the fact that iodine after administration will accumulate to a greater extent in the thyroid than in other tissues. In order to make chemical elements visible, radioactive isotopes are used, which in their composition have different amounts of neutrons with a neutral charge in the nucleus, so they do not affect the chemical properties of the element. Radioisotopes sometimes have the wrong ratio of neutrons to other building blocks in the nucleus, making them unstable and decaying. This decay causes the element to transform into another – accompanied by the release of radiation. Natural medicine uses gamma radiation for this purpose – that is, using electromagnetic waves.
Kidney isotopic studies – renoscintigraphy and scintigraphy
Renoscintigraphy consists in administering appropriate doses of radioactive isotopes collected in kidneys, thanks to which the blood supply to the glomerular filtration, tubular secretion, and urine output are assessed. Sometimes, the study is supported by pharmacology by co-administration of captopril. After the test is completed, a color printout is obtained, showing kidneys and specifying the behavior of pointers. Down renoscintigraphy you need to prepare accordingly. The main thing is that you have to be on an empty stomach. During the examination it is necessary to keep a still position. In addition, the doctor may order additional tests aimed at e.g. determination of serum creatinine concentration. If your kidneys are failing scintigraphy can only be done with isotope tracers. During renografii the patient lies on his stomach, it is not necessary to take off his clothes, however, metal objects should be removed at this moment, the presence of which interferes with the scintigraphic image. Radioactive isotopes are administered intravenously, most often into the vein in the elbow fossa, at an appropriate time before the scintigraphic measurements are performed. Depending on which isotope is used, the test itself starts one to four hours later. The measurement usually does not exceed 10 minutes, and the recording of results about 30 minutes. If a pharmacological test is performed with furosemide, it is administered intravenously and observed excretion of urine by the kidneys for several minutes. Kidney scintigraphy usually takes several dozen minutes. Before the examination, the doctor should be informed about the situation in which it will be impossible to collect urine for analysis, about the currently taken medications, bleeding diathesis, pregnancy. During the examination, it is necessary to constantly monitor the patient’s condition and react in the event of pain or shortness of breath. After the test, you must not forget to flush out the remains of the isotope from the body. Then you reach for various types of liquids – water, tea, juices. Renal isotope study can be performed many times, regardless of the patient’s age. There is no risk of complications.