Your doctor has ordered a white blood cell study to evaluate for abscess, infection, osteomyelitis or fever of unknown origin.
- This test is a series of 3 visits in one day, with a possible 24 hour delay image the following day.
- You do not have to fast for this test.
- Please arrive to the Radiology department 15 minutes prior to your appointment time.
- When you arrive for your first appointment in the morning, the Nuclear Medicine technologist will draw blood from an IV line in your arm. This blood sample will be sent to the nuclear pharmacy, so they can tag a radioactive material to your white blood cells.
- This sample will return 3-4 hours after your blood draw. The technologist will give you a time to return to the hospital; you are welcome to go home in between your appointment times. Once you are re-injected with your tagged white blood cells, you will return for imaging 3-4 hours post injection. Your scan will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.
- Following the exam, you may resume normal activities.
