DaTscan

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DaTscan is a nuclear medicine exam. Nuclear medicine can help with care for cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders and many other kinds of medical problems.

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DaTscan is a nuclear medicine exam used mainly to find out if you have a Parkinson's condition or not. A DaTscan is sometimes called a molecular imaging exam or a dopamine scan.

Nuclear medicine uses a small amount of radioactive material in the body called a tracer. Cameras show where the tracers go, which lets doctors see how well a body part is working.

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About DaTscan

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When you arrive for your exam, you'll be given a medication to protect your thyroid gland.

After about an hour, we will do the DaTscan exam injection (shot) through an IV. We will then wait for three hours before doing the exam. You can leave the clinic during this time frame and then return.

During this part of the exam, you'll lie on your back with your head in a cushioned holder. The scan uses a SPECT camera that moves around your head to take images of your brain. This part of the exam will last about 45 minutes.

The entire DaTscan process will take about four to five hours.

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You can eat and drink before the exam. Be sure to drink lots of fluids. Your doctor will tell you if you need to stop taking any of your medications before the exam.
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Your doctor will tell you the results of your exam. After you talk to your doctor, the results are also available on MyChart.

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