Did your doctor tell you that you need a special scan to look at both your liver and spleen? You may have felt a little scared and nervous when you heard those words. But don't worry. This is something that most people do and it's not that complicated. Let's get into the details today.
What is a Liver-Spleen Scan?
Simply put, this is a specialized imaging test that belongs to nuclear medicine. Think of our liver and spleen as two best friends who are right next to each other. When there is a problem with one, it can affect the other. So, doctors use this scan when they want to see the health of both of them at once.
This is what happens:
A doctor or a trained technician will inject a very small amount of radioactive material into your vein. Don't worry, it's not harmful to your body. This material travels through your blood and is absorbed by your liver and spleen. Then, the gamma rays emitted by this material are scanned with a special camera, called a gamma camera.
The way your liver and spleen absorb this substance can tell your doctor a lot about the health of those organs. Areas that absorb the substance well will appear bright on the scan, while areas that absorb less will appear dark .
Why do we need to do a scan like this?
There may be several reasons why your doctor recommends this scan.
- Monitor the status of chronic liver disease: This helps you see the extent of your liver disease and whether it is increasing or decreasing.
- Check if the treatment is effective: Find out if the medication you are taking is working properly and if the illness is getting better.
- Check for organ damage from an accident: Check for damage to the liver or spleen after an accident.
- Identify lesions on organs: Look for lumps, tumors, and other things.
- Check to see if other medical conditions in the body are affecting these organs: Some diseases affect the entire body. Check to see if they are affecting the liver and spleen.
- Find the cause of an unexplained upper abdominal pain.
What's special about this scan is that it shows not only what the organs look like, but also how well the cells in those organs are functional . That's difficult to see with a regular scan.
What happens on the day of the scan?
I'll give you a clear picture of the day of this test. Then you won't have to worry about anything.
1. Preparation: When you go to the hospital, you will be given a special hospital gown to wear. You will need to remove any metal objects on your body, such as earrings, necklaces, or rings. If you are a little nervous about this, you can ask for a sedative to help you relax.
2. Injection: Next, a radiology technician will inject a small amount of the radioactive tracer (usually Tc-99m sulfur colloid) into a vein in your arm through an IV. You will feel a slight stinging sensation when the needle is inserted, but it will only last a few seconds.
3. You have to wait a little while: You need to give the substance about 15 minutes to be absorbed by the body, especially the liver and spleen. During that time, you just have to wait.
4. Scanning: You will then lie down on the scanner bed. The doughnut-shaped scanner is positioned so that it is positioned over your upper abdomen. First, a gamma camera scans your entire body. Then, a special scanner (SPECT/CT scan) that can take 3D images slowly rotates around your body to take pictures.
5. Stay still: It is very important that you do not move at all during this time. The technician may ask you to move into different positions.
6. End: When the scan is finished, the IV in your arm will be removed. You can get up and put your clothes back on. It is very important to drink plenty of water for the next 24 hours. This will help the radioactive material quickly leave your body in your urine.
How long will this take?
The entire process usually takes about an hour. You have to wait about 15-30 minutes after the injection, and then the scan takes about 30-40 minutes.
Is there any risk in this?
The risk of this is very low. However, you should definitely inform your doctor in advance about the following situations.
| Potential risk | What you need to do |
|---|---|
| If you are pregnant (Pregnancy) | Be sure to tell your doctor about this, as the small amount of radiation used can affect the baby in the womb. |
| If you are a breastfeeding mother | As radioactive material may pass into breast milk, tell your doctor about this. He or she will give you appropriate advice. |
| If you have an allergy to radioactive material | Very rarely, someone may develop an allergic reaction. If you are allergic to anything, tell your doctor in advance. |
What can you learn from the scan report?
The report contains three-dimensional (3D) images of your liver and spleen. Gamma rays are recorded on them.
- "Hot Spots": Areas that have absorbed the most radioactive material appear brighter.
- "Cold Spots": Areas where the substance has been absorbed poorly or not at all appear dark.
The doctor also compares the amounts of the substance absorbed by the two organs. Normally, the liver should absorb more of this substance than the spleen. If the liver absorbs less and the spleen absorbs more, it means that the liver is functioning less. Doctors call this a ``colloid shift''.
Diseases that can be detected with this scan
- Inflammation of the liver `(hepatitis)`
- Fibrosis and/or cirrhosis of the liver
- Liver failure
- Liver lesions (like abscess, tumor, hemangioma or cyst)
- Fatty liver disease (steatotic liver disease)
- High blood pressure in the liver (portal hypertension)
- Hepatic vein obstruction `(Budd-Chiari syndrome)`
- Enlarged liver or spleen
- Damage to the spleen (splenic infarction or ruptured spleen)
What happens after receiving the report?
It may be possible to draw a definitive conclusion about your condition from this scan report. If so, your doctor will talk to you about treatment. Sometimes, you may be asked to do other tests to further confirm what is in this report. Your doctor will explain all of this to you.
Take-Home Message
- A Liver-Spleen Scan is a very safe and specific test that checks the function of both the liver and spleen.
- The procedure is very simple. All you have to do is get a small injection and lie still in a scanner. It is not painful.
- If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have any allergies, be sure to tell your doctor beforehand.
- Drink plenty of water for a day or two after the scan.
- Don't be unnecessarily worried about the test results. Your doctor will explain everything and give you the guidance you need.
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