Brain Scan

Your doctor has requested a Brain Scan. This booklet will answer some of the questions you may have.

What is a Brain scan?

A Brain scan is a simple and painless way of taking pictures of your brain using a radioactive tracer. This procedure also looks closely at the blood supply to your brain.

What is involved?

When you arrive in the Nuclear Medicine Department, a technologist will explain the entire procedure to you and then give you the opportunity to ask any questions. The technologist will then set up a small intravenous needle in your arm. You will be asked to lie down on a stretcher in a quiet dimly lit area and relax for about 10 minutes before receiving your radioactive injection. There are no known side effects from this injection. The distribution of the radioactive tracer will be adversely affected if your brain is too active at the time of injection, so this relaxation time is very important for the procedure. Following the injection, you will remain resting for an additional 10 to 15 min. Please refrain from talking during this time. After your resting period, you will be directed to return to the waiting area.

About 45 min to an hour after the injection of the radiotracer, you will be brought into the imaging room for the scan. You will be asked to lie down on our imaging table. Your head will be secured in a head holder device with forehead and chin straps to ensure that you remain still. The technologist will use a special detector called a gamma camera to take three-dimensional images of your brain. Your scan will take approximately 30 minutes, during which you will be asked to remain very still.

The total duration of the test is approximately 2 hours.

Do I need to prepare for the scan?

Bring your Health Card.
No special preparation is required. You will be able to eat, drink and take your medications as usual on the day of your scan.
Please notify our booking office at the time of scheduling your appointment if you have any concerns regarding claustrophobia, lying still, require a mechanical lift for transfer to the imaging bed, have a language barrier or any other special needs, so that appropriate arrangements can be made ahead to provide you with the best possible care.

Will it hurt?

Only the pinprick of the injection needle may hurt a bit. You may have had a blood test in the past. This is much the same.

Is the radiation dangerous?

The injection contains a small amount of radioactive tracer which emits gamma rays (these are similar to X-rays). The radiation dose is very low and will disappear by itself after two days. The results of your scan will give your doctor useful information about your condition and will help them plan your treatment. The benefits of having the scan far outweigh any potential risk from the small radiation dose.

Do I need to do anything after the scan?

No special precautions are needed after the scan. If you are travelling across any borders in the seven days after your scan, please ask us for further advice. Border crossings and airports have very sensitive radiation detectors which may pick up tiny amounts of radioactivity remaining after your scan. We will give you a letter that you can show to customs officials at border crossings or airports.

Is there anything I should tell the staff before the injection?

Please tell us if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

What about breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding must be interruption of 4 hours after the exam, during which time one milk meal should be pumped and discarded. Prepare for your exam accordingly.

How will I get the results of my scan?

A specially trained doctor will examine the pictures. This is normally done soon after the end of the scan. A report is then sent to the doctor who asked us to do the scan. Your doctor will normally receive the report within one week. You will also have access to the report on MyChart as soon as it is released.

If you have questions about the scan results or report, please contact your doctor directly. They are best able to interpret the report for you.

Will this test cost me money?

No. This test is paid for by the healthcare system. The test costs several hundred dollars, so please notify the department at 613-761-4831 if you cannot make your appointment.

What should I do if I cannot make my appointment?

If you cannot make you appointment, it is important that you notify the department at 613-761-4831 as soon as possible. Failure to make your appointment results in wasting of expensive materials that are ordered especially for your appointment and also reduces availability to other patients. Missed appointments may also result in delays of your treatments.

Directions and Parking

Civic Campus 1053 Carling Avenue – 1st Floor Tel.: 613-761-4831, option 8 Hours: Mon. – Fri., 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Directions: From within the Civic Campus, take the “C” elevators to the 1^st Floor and follow the signs to Nuclear Medicine. Patients may also ask for directions at the patient information desk.	General Campus 501 Smyth Road – Main level Tel.: 613-737-4831, option 8 Hours: Mon. – Fri., 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Directions: From the main entrance, follow the signs on the main level (located at the public elevators). Patients may also ask for directions at the patient Information desk.
Park in either parking lot off Carling Avenue (P7) or in the multistory parking garage (P1).	Park in the parking garage which is located beside the main entrance just off Smyth Road.

Parking instructions

All parking lots are automated
Take the parking ticket with you inside.
When you have completed your appointment, you can pay by cash or credit card at one of our pay stations, or you can pay by credit card with express exit at the parking lot exit gates (the grace period after payment to leave facility is 20 minutes).
Payment methods:
- Pay stations: Cash or credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express).
Maximum parking fee is $13.00

Visit The Ottawa Hospital’s website for additional directions and parking instructions and maps.

Last updated on: March 24th, 2022

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