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Procedure:

• You have been referred for an Oesophageal Study in which imaging is done whilst sitting infront of a Gamma Camera (1).

• An Oesophageal Study is very sensitive in showing how well the oesophagus transports food to the stomach.

• The study is useful in identifying the presence of motility disorders including: achalasia, scleroderma, and diffuse esophageal spasm.

• The test involves swallowing water and certain foods that have been labelled with a small amount of radioactive tracer.

• The tracer we use is called 99mTc-DTPA (99m-Technetium diethylene-triamine-penta-acetic acid).

• There are rarely any side effects with ingesting the tracer and there is no taste to the tracer.

• The images are done sitting and with your left-side towards the camera.

• These images are done in two phases - the "Liquid phase" and the "Solid phase". It takes approximately 1 hour to complete the study.

• Your results usually take 2 hours to produce, hence we usually send these directly to the referring doctor.

• You receive a slight radiation dose by having an Oesophageal Study ~ up to 0.7 times your yearly background radiation (2).

 

Patient Preparation:

• If you are pregnant, trying to fall pregnant or breast feeding, you must inform our staff.

• You must NOT eat or drink anything for at least 4 hours prior the test.

• Refrain from smoking on the day of the test.

• If you have had prior imaging e.g. PET, Nuclear Scan, CT, MRI, X-Ray, Ultrasound, etc... please bring these with you.

• Please also bring your referral and any blood results that you may have had done.

• If you are on any medications, please take these as normal.

• Wear comfortable clothing and minimise the amount of metal jewellery you have on (all metal objects will need to be removed prior to imaging).

• Important Note: You cannot have this test if you have had a PET or Nuclear Scan within 24 hours prior to this test. If you have had Iodine-131 therapy, allow 4-weeks before having this test. Please ring to discuss booking options.​

 

Breast-Feeding Mothers: Once you have been given the tracer, you need to stop breast-feeding for two feeds. During this time, you need to express and discard your breast milk. You will need to bottle-feed your child during this period.

 

⁽¹⁾ A Gamma Camera is a device that detects gamma-rays (gamma-rays are very similar to x-rays) and does not emit any radiation.

⁽²⁾ We all receive a yearly background radiation dose ~ 2.4mSv. Oesophageal Study ~ 1.7mSv = 0.7 times yearly background dose.