Introduction:
The largest vital organ in the human body is the liver; it usually weighs around 3 pounds and is located on the upper right side of the abdomen. The liver plays a vital role in many functions. It regulates and metabolizes many enzymes and drugs for the body to work efficiently and healthily.
The main functions of the liver are:
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Natural detoxification of the body.
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Converting food into energy.
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Significant role in blood clotting.
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Production of proteins essentials in blood plasma.
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Production of bile. An important role of bile is breaking down fats and flushing the toxins from the body.
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Helps in metabolizing a wide range of drugs.
A spleen is a small organ, egg-shaped, that lies below the stomach on the left side of the body. The production of lymphocytes and a key role in keeping the human body healthy are its main functions. A biliary system consists of all the organs that help in the production and transportation of bile (bile duct, gall bladder, and associated structures). A diseased liver can cause many disrupting functions in the body and complications. There are many tests done to diagnose the condition, and a liver scan is one of them. It is also called a liver-spleen scan.
What Is Liver Scan?
A type of nuclear imaging test in which a tiny amount of radioactive material (also called radionuclide) is used for detection is termed a liver scan. This radioactive tracer is absorbed by the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. This helps in checking the functionality of the liver, spleen, and also the masses in the liver.
How Does Liver Scan Work?
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A small dose of radioactive material (tracer) is given through an intravenous (IV) line in the vein of the arm. This tracer gets absorbed and collected in your liver, spleen, and some parts of the biliary tree.
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This tracer gives off gamma rays, and a gamma camera detects these rays and creates images. Imaging will start within 15 minutes after you receive the tracer.
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The gamma camera will first scan the entire body by rotating around the body; it will take a SPECT (single photon emission tomography) scan, which gives 3D images of the spleen and liver.
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Also, a low-dose CT scan (computed tomography) is done at the same time as SPECT scan. While doing this scan, the technologist may tell you breathing techniques during the scan.
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There should be no movement while taking scans and images, or else the results will be blurry.
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The entire scan may take up to one and a half hours.
What Are the Indications for This Liver Scan?
This scan is indicated in several conditions like:
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Help to see how the liver disease is advancing.
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Tumors, abscesses, or cysts of the liver and spleen become visible, which helps in their diagnosis.
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To evaluate the damage to the liver or spleen by accident.
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Indication in conditions of unexplained liver pain.
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Check for conditions like liver cancer, hepatitis, and cirrhosis of the liver.
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To check the progress of treatment provided.
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Also, to check the efficiency and functionality of the spleen.
What Are the Things to Be Prepared Before a Liver Scan?
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Inform your radiologist if you are allergic to any latex, dye, iodine, or medications.
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Inform your radiologist if you have any discomfort in lying straight for more than 1 hour; in such cases, sedatives are given, which will make you feel comfortable.
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If you have ongoing pregnancy, are a breastfeeding mother, or think you might be positively pregnant, talk with the doctor before scheduling the scan.
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You can consume a regular diet before the scan.
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You may require to change your clothes to a patient gown.
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Do remove all piercings and all jewellery before the scan.
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Other than this, you may require specific medical care and preparation according to your medical condition.
What Will I Feel During the Scan?
Minor discomfort from the IV (intravenous) in your arm; some people find it hard to lie for a long time on the exam table.
What Are the Interfering Factors of Liver Scan?
This scan comes along with a few interfering factors:
Retained dye: any retained dye from previous nuclear studies; there can also be an increase in the absorption of tracer in organs other than the liver and spleen, especially the lungs.
What Are the Risk Factors for Liver Scans?
The radioactive nuclide (tracer), which is given in the process of scanning, can sometimes be absorbed by the bone marrow along with the liver and spleen.
In case of pregnancy and breastfeeding, the scan has to be discussed with the doctor and scheduled accordingly; it is better to avoid any kind of radiation in case of pregnancy and breastfeeding mothers to prevent future complications.
What Needs to be Done After the Scan?
- After the scanning is done, the technician would ask to first move slowly while getting up from the examination table. After the long lying position, dizziness and lightheadedness can occur. So slow movement is recommended.
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The IV site can be checked for signs of redness and swelling; if they persist, doctors may diagnose the infection and reaction.
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Other instruction given is to drink plenty of fluids for more than 24 hours which will help to flush all the tracers from the body. Most of them will leave the body by urine and stool, and the rest get flushed in a period.
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Resuming your daily activities can be done as normal.
Conclusion:
A liver scan is a nuclear scan procedure. It is a safe procedure and requires minimal basic preparation. It can be contraindicated in patients with discomfort lying flat for a long period, pregnancy, breastfeeding women, and intense injuries which hinder the patient positioning for the images. A minimal amount of tracer is injected into the patient's body to avoid more exposure. This type of scan can also detect haemangiomas (benign tumors in blood vessels) and is more recommended for patients who cannot undergo MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT( computed tomography) scans.
