Parathyroid scans

Overview

A parathyroid scan takes pictures of your parathyroid glands. It is sometimes called a sestamibi scan, MIBI, or radionuclide scintigraphy. It is a safe, painless test.

A technologist injects a small amount of radioactive liquid (tracer) into a vein in your arm. This liquid travels through your blood and is absorbed by the parathyroid glands. A special camera then takes pictures of the glands.

Most scans involve more than one imaging session to compare the pictures.

Your doctor might use this test to check for hyperparathyroidism or parathyroid tumours. It is also used during surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism.

Preparing for the test

No special preparation is needed.

If you cannot make your appointment, please tell us. We will schedule your appointment for another patient.

Risks:

All radiation has possible side effects. The amount of radioactivity in this test is very small, and there are no known side effects.
This test is not done for pregnant women because it could expose the baby (fetus) to radiation. It is also not recommended if you are breastfeeding or have young children.
If you have questions or concerns, talk to your doctor.

On the day of the test

You will visit the Nuclear Medicine Department three times on the same day for your test. The entire test takes about four hours.

On the day of the test:

You can eat, drink, and take medicines as usual.
Arrive 10 minutes before your appointment time.
Check in with the receptionist when you arrive.
Bring your photo ID and BC Care Card (personal health number).
Do not bring children under the age of 12 unless you bring someone to care for them during the test.
Do not wear perfume, cologne, or aftershave to your appointment. Some people are allergic to fragrance ingredients and can suffer severe reactions.

We will ask you to remove jewellery, any metal objects on your upper body, and dentures if you wear them.

During the test

- We will explain the procedure, and you can ask questions.
- We will inject a small amount of radioactive tracer into a vein in your arm. The liquid is safe, but you might feel a prick from the needle.
- You will wait 15 minutes while the tracer collects in your parathyroid glands.
- We will bring you to the imaging room.
- You will lie down on the imaging bed.
- The technologist will use a special camera to take images of your neck area. They will also take three-dimensional images.
- You will then wait for about one hour. We will tell you when to return.
- You can eat and drink after the scan.
- We will repeat the same procedure as the previous scan.
Sometimes, we need to get extra images to tell apart the thyroid and parathyroid tissues. If we need to do this:
- You will get a second injection of a different radioactive tracer to show the thyroid gland.
- You will wait for about five minutes.
- The technologist will position you on the imaging bed for a 10-minute scan.

After the test

The radioactive tracer will not make you feel any different. It leaves your body through your urine and stool. Your body will naturally get rid of the tracer over the next two weeks.

We will send your test results to your doctor within five working days. If your doctor does not have your results within two weeks, please ask them to contact us.

If you plan to travel within two weeks of this test, please tell us. We will give you a letter that says you were given a small amount of radioactive material.

Support for Indigenous Peoples

The Indigenous Wellness Liaison Team is here to support your health journey. Team members offer cultural support and healthcare advocacy. Learn more below or call them at 604-682-2344,62937 or email IWL@providencehealth.bc.ca.

Indigenous wellness services

The Indigenous Wellness Team at Providence is available to support Indigenous patients and their families. We are here to coordinate culturally safe wellness supports and services.