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Renal Scan: Indications, Preparation and Procedure

Indications of Kidney Scans

A nuclear renal scan or kidney scan can assess multiple kidney issues, including the: 

  • Evaluation of renal perfusion and function
  • Evaluation of renal trauma
  • Detection and evaluation of renal collecting system obstruction
  • Evaluation of renovascular hypertension

Renal Scan Preparation

The patient should be well hydrated prior to the nuclear renal scan.  No other preparation is necessary.

Renal Scan Procedure

The renal scan procedure is a type of nuclear medicine test. At the beginning of the kidney scan, the patient will be given an IV injection of a small amount of a radioactive tracer that will go to the kidneys dependent of function and blood flow. The patient is imaged with the camera under the table for approximately thirty minutes. The patient very rarely will need to come back later for delay pictures which last approximately five to ten minutes.

To find out more about nuclear renal scans and to schedule a kidney scan procedure, Contact Us.