SCAN

grateful1
grateful1 Member Posts: 80 Member
edited March 2014 in Thyroid Cancer #1
WHAT IS THE SCAN LIKE AFTER THE RAI

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  • alapah
    alapah Member Posts: 287
    #2
    whole body scan
    The scan after RAI picks up radiation from your body - so the scan itself is not exposing you to radiation. Last one I had the techs let my friend stay in the room with me. The scanner I have experience with is open, not a closed thing like an MRI. However, there is a 3x3foot or so plate that picks up the waves and they place it REALLY close to your body. They can do it a little further away but then the scan isn't as good. You lie on a table with your arms at your sides and try to stay as still as possible. I suppose it would be possible to sleep!

    In my case, the scan started with the plate over my face. I think each segment took about 5 to 7 minutes. The whole thing was maybe 40 minutes. It kind of depends on the equipment and how tall you are. After each segment the plate or the bed moves to position your for scanning the next chunk of your body.

    I got wigged out the first time cause I opened my eyes when it was over my face - and it's about 1cm or less from your nose so even though I was not enclosed i felt enclosed. I quickly learned that if I started with a relaxed composure I could fare OK by not opening my eyes at all until the scanner passed my face - after the first 5 or 7 minutes. I ran a limerick over and over through my head one time. The other time a song. Whatever works! I have to do the same in an MRI. The RAI scan is painless and involves no injections or dyes or anything like that.
  • kitandkat
    kitandkat Member Posts: 11
    #3
    alapah said:

    whole body scan
    The scan after RAI picks up radiation from your body - so the scan itself is not exposing you to radiation. Last one I had the techs let my friend stay in the room with me. The scanner I have experience with is open, not a closed thing like an MRI. However, there is a 3x3foot or so plate that picks up the waves and they place it REALLY close to your body. They can do it a little further away but then the scan isn't as good. You lie on a table with your arms at your sides and try to stay as still as possible. I suppose it would be possible to sleep!

    In my case, the scan started with the plate over my face. I think each segment took about 5 to 7 minutes. The whole thing was maybe 40 minutes. It kind of depends on the equipment and how tall you are. After each segment the plate or the bed moves to position your for scanning the next chunk of your body.

    I got wigged out the first time cause I opened my eyes when it was over my face - and it's about 1cm or less from your nose so even though I was not enclosed i felt enclosed. I quickly learned that if I started with a relaxed composure I could fare OK by not opening my eyes at all until the scanner passed my face - after the first 5 or 7 minutes. I ran a limerick over and over through my head one time. The other time a song. Whatever works! I have to do the same in an MRI. The RAI scan is painless and involves no injections or dyes or anything like that.

    Pretty much like you
    Pretty much like you described. I just wanted to add that I brought my iPod and listened to it during the scan. The tech was even nice enough to turn it on for me ;) That helped me relax and not focus on the plate being in my face!

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