Octreotide Scan

Your doctor has requested an Octreotide scan. This booklet will answer some of the questions you may have.

What is an Octreotide scan?

An Octreotide scan is a simple and painless way of taking pictures of your body using a radioactive tracer. It detects specific types of receptors called somatostatin receptors which may overexpress in neuroendocrine tumors. Tumors with increased somatostatin receptors could be identified on the study.

What is involved?

You will be given three appointments over two consecutive days for your test:

Day 1: Part 1 (15 min) When you arrive in the Nuclear Medicine department, a technologist will explain the entire procedure to you and then ask you if you have any questions. The technologist will inject a radioactive tracer into a vein in your arm. There are no known side effects from this injection. Once the injection has been completed, you will be able to leave the department and return in three to four hours for your first set of images. The technologist will confirm your return time before you leave. You can eat and drink in the time between the injection and the scan.

Day 1: Part 2 (1 hour) When you return for your second visit, a technologist will ask you to remove all external metal objects from your body, including your jewelry. You may also be asked to change into a hospital gown. The technologist will then use a special detector called a gamma camera to scan your body from head to feet. We will also obtain some three-dimensional images of your body. This part of the test will take an hour to complete.

Day 2: Part 3 (1 hour) The technologist will repeat the same scans that were performed the day before. There will be no more injections.

Occasionally, patients will be asked to return for 48-hour post injection images. If this is required, you will be informed before you leave on day two.

Do I need to prepare for the scan?

Bring your Health card.
If you are taking short-acting octreotide therapy, it should be stopped for 24 hours preceding your appointment. Please consult your physician before stopping any medications. Please notify the booking office if you are taking long-acting Octreotide and your test will be scheduled accordingly.
You will be able to eat, drink and take your medications as usual on the day of your scan.
We would like you to dress in clothing that does not have any metal. Please refrain from wearing any jewelry. Please leave all valuables at home.
Since there may be a few hours waiting time between imaging during this procedure, it may be beneficial to bring some reading material. There is free Wi-Fi available.
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 like X-rays). The radiation dose is very low and will disappear by itself within a week to ten 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 study?

No special precautions are needed after the scan. If you are travelling across any borders in the two weeks 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 will need to be interrupted for at least 6 days. It is vital that you ensure that we are aware if you are pregnant and/or breastfeeding.

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.: 613-761-4831, 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: May 17th, 2022

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