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The purpose of this study is to look at bile salt absorption in your body. This will enable your doctor to make a diagnosis and so give appropriate treatment as necessary.
On arrival we will ask you to swallow a capsule containing a small amount of radioactivity with a glass of water. You must return to the Department at 3 hours and again 7 days later for so that we can measure the radioactivity. Although this is not a scan, it is very similar in that you will have to lie down on a couch, and a gamma camera will measure radioactivity levels in your body. You do not normally need to take off clothing. Only removal of jewellery or metal objects is required. In order to get accurate measurements, the camera may be close and you will have to keep still. Each measurement session will take 30-45 minutes.
If you are pregnant, or you think you might be pregnant, you need to inform your doctor or the Nuclear Medicine staff before attending your appointment. In general, exposure to radiation during pregnancy should be kept to a minimum and it may be necessary to postpone this study. The present guidelines recommend that breast-feeding need not be interrupted if the mother is undergoing this test; however, it is advisable to feed the baby just before swallowing the radioactive capsule and to express and discard any milk secreted over the first 3 hours.
We would prefer that you do not bring more than one person with you. It is advisable not to have a pregnant woman or a small child with you. This is to avoid exposing them to unnecessary radiation. It is also preferable to avoid prolonged close contact (hugging a child / sitting with a child on your knee for more than half an hour) for the rest of the day.
You may eat, drink, and take your medication as normal.
The amount of radioactivity you receive in this study is strictly within the recommended national level. At this level, the benefit to you from a diagnosis of your condition outweighs the risk (negligible) of any harm associated with the radiation you will receive.
You may eat, drink and take your medication as normal.
The Nuclear Medicine doctor will report on the study, which will be sent to the doctor who requested the study. He/she will be able to discuss the results with you in relation to other tests you may have had.