Your doctor has requested a DaTscan Study. The text below will answer some of the questions you may have.
If you experience movement difficulties, a DaTscan could help your doctor decide if they are due to a Parkinsonian syndrome or something else with similar symptoms, such as an Essential tremor. A DaTscan study is a simple and painless way of taking pictures of your brain using a radioactive tracer, so as to be able to make the above differentiation.
When you arrive in the Nuclear Medicine Department, a technologist will explain the entire procedure to you and then give you the opportunity to ask any questions. You will receive a medication to protect your thyroid from the iodine content in the radioactive tracer. You will wait an hour before receiving the radioactive tracer to allow this medication to take effect.
The technologist will then set up a small intravenous needle in your arm and inject the radioactive tracer that will allow us to take images of your brain. There are no known side effects from this injection. Because it takes time for the radioactive tracer to be distributed in the brain, you will need to wait about 3-4 hours after this injection for the imaging part to begin. During this time, you can have your meals and leave the department and return later if you wish.
For the scan, you will be asked to lie on an imaging table, and the technologist will position you on a headrest. A strip of tape, or some other flexible restraint, will be placed across your forehead and chin to prevent your head from moving during the test. Your scan will take approximately 30 minutes, during which you will be asked to remain very still.
The test takes most of the day to complete.
- Bring your Health card.
The following medications should be withheld before your appointment, after consulting with your family physician.
Medication or drug that may interfere ioflupane binding and should be withheld if possible Approximate duration (5 half-lives) Ephedrine, ketamine, isoflurane 1 day Cocaine, methylphenidate 2 days Methamphetamine, mazindol, modafinil 3 days Benztropine, fentanyl 5 days Dexamphetamine 7 days Bupropion 8 days Phentermine, phencyclidine 14 days - Please leave all valuables at home.
- Please notify our booking office at the time of scheduling your appointment if you have any concerns regarding claustrophobia, lying still, require a mechanical lift for transfer to the imaging bed, have a language barrier or any other special needs, so that appropriate arrangements can be made ahead to provide you with the best possible care.
Only the pinprick of the injection needle may hurt a bit. You may have had a blood test in the past. This is much the same.
The injection contains a small amount of radioactive tracer which emits gamma rays (these are similar to X-rays). The radiation dose is very low and will disappear by itself after six days. The results of your scan will give your doctor useful information about your condition and will help them plan your treatment. The benefits of having the scan far outweigh any potential risk from the small radiation dose.
No special precautions are needed after the scan. If you are travelling across any borders in the seven days after your scan, please ask us for further advice. Border crossings and airports have very sensitive radiation detectors which may pick up tiny amounts of radioactivity remaining after your scan. We will give you a letter that you can show to customs officials at border crossings or airports.
Please tell us if you are:
- Hypersensitive to iodine
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
Breastfeeding must be interruption of 3 days after the exam, during which time milk should be pumped and discarded. Prepare for your exam accordingly.
A specially trained doctor will examine the pictures. This is normally done soon after the end of the scan. A report is then sent to the doctor who asked us to do the scan. Your doctor will normally receive the report within one week. You will also have access to the report on MyChart as soon as it is released.
If you have questions about the scan results or report, please contact your doctor directly. They are best able to interpret the report for you.
Yes. This test is not covered by OHIP and you are responsible for the full cost of this exam.
If you cannot make your appointment, it is important that you notify the department at 613-761-4831 as soon as possible. Failure to make your appointment results in wasting of expensive materials that are ordered especially for your appointment and also reduces availability to other patients. Missed appointments may also result in delays of your treatments.