Liver Hemangioma Study

What is the purpose of a liver hemangioma study?
A liver hemangioma study is performed to locate tumor or cancer cells around the liver area.

How is a liver hemangioma study performed?
An IV is started in the vein of your arm. A small amount of blood is drawn. This blood is tagged with a small amount of radioactive tracer for about 30 minutes. The blood is returned to your body through the IV.

You will be asked to lie on your back with your arms above your head. A first set of pictures will be taken. This will take about 20 minutes to complete. You will then leave and return 2 hours later for detailed images of your liver to be made. For this set of images, a camera will move around your abdominal area for approximately 45 minutes. It is important for you to hold still during the scan for the highest quality images possible.

How do I prepare for a hemangioma scan?
There are no special preparations necessary for a hemangioma scan.

How soon will my doctor get the results?
After the procedure is complete, a nuclear medicine physician will study the pictures along with your medical history to make an assessment of what the photos show. He will then dictate a report that will be forwarded to your physician within five to seven business days. If your doctor needs the results sooner, he/she may contact the nuclear medicine physician on the day of the exam.

How do I make an appointment?
Your doctor will write an order or prescription for the test. The doctor will either give you the order or have it faxed to the hospital. You may then schedule your appointment by calling the Nuclear Medicine Department at 847-723-5050.

If I still have questions, who should I call?
For more information about the procedure, please call the Nuclear Medicine Department at 847-723-5050.