Investigations for children
Many of our tests for adults may also be carried out on children. The preparation for each of these will be different and specific to the age of the child.
The way the test is carried out will be quite similar to the adult's test but tailored to each individual child.
These are carried out for many reasons - to examine the progress or extent of an injury, to look for hidden infection, to diagnose a disease process.
A small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected (this is like a blood test) and then pictures are taken with a gamma camera while your child is lying on a special imaging couch.
Your child will be assessed before the test to make sure the injection and the imaging are carried out in a way that is most comfortable and least stressful to your child.
We will not sedate your child as this requires an admission onto a ward, which in itself is a stressful event. However we have an experienced team of nurses and imaging technicians who are skilled in putting children at ease.
This test looks at the rate at which the stomach empties after feeding. It is often carried out for children who fail to thrive, where there are frequent unexplained chest infections or where a child is vomiting immediately after feeding.
A small amount of a radioactive tracer will be put into a cup of milk or your child's normal milk feed (providing it does not contain any thickening agent) and then pictures are taken with a gamma camera over the following hour. Your child will be assessed before the test to make sure the imaging is carried out in a way that is most comfortable and least stressful to your child.
We will not sedate your child as this can affect the rate the stomach empties. We have an experienced team of nurses and imaging technicians who are skilled in putting children at ease in order to obtain the best possible images.
This test examines the structure of the kidneys to look for evidence of scarring caused by long term urine infections.
A small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected (this is like a blood test) and then pictures are taken after two hours with a gamma camera while your child is lying on a special imaging couch.
Your child will be assessed before the test to make sure the injection and the imaging are carried out in a way that is most comfortable and least stressful to your child.
We will not sedate your child as this requires an admission onto a ward, which in itself is a stressful event. However we have an experienced team of nurses and imaging technicians who are skilled in putting children at ease.
This test examines the function of the kidneys. It can be carried out during long-term drug therapy to make sure that the kidneys are continuing to work well. It may be used when there has been a problem of recurrent urine infections or it may be a one-off measurement as part of a general check-up.
A small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected (this is like a blood test) and then blood tests are taken over the next few hours. The rate at which the radioactive tracer is eliminated from the body can then be calculated. Your child will be assessed before the test to make sure the injection and the following blood tests are carried out in a way that is most comfortable and least stressful to your child.
We will not sedate your child as this requires an admission onto a ward, which in itself is a stressful event. However we have an experienced team of nurses and imaging technicians who are skilled in putting children at ease.
This test looks at the excretion of waste products through the kidneys. It is used where there have been recurrent urine infections or abdominal pain. It may also be carried out on very young babies where a problem has been identified on a pre-natal ultrasound scan.
A small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected (this is like a blood test) and then pictures are taken over the following hour with a gamma camera. Your child will be assessed before the test to make sure the injection and the imaging are carried out in a way that is most comfortable and least stressful to your child.
We will not sedate your child as this requires an admission onto a ward, which in itself is a stressful event. However we have an experienced team of nurses and imaging technicians who are skilled in putting children at ease.
This is a test to look for evidence of a small pouch within the bowel lining, known as a Meckel's diverticulum. The lining of this pouch can become inflamed causing pain and bleeding. Before the test it is important your child does not have anything to eat or drink for four hours.
A small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected (this is like a blood test) and then pictures are taken over an hour with a gamma camera. Your child will be assessed before the test to make sure the injection and the imaging are carried out in a way that is most comfortable and least stressful to your child.
We will not sedate your child as this requires an admission onto a ward, which in itself is a stressful event. However we have an experienced team of nurses and imaging technicians who are skilled in putting children at ease.
This tests assists with the diagnosis and treatment planning for certain types of abdominal disease. Your child can eat and drink normally before the test.
A small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected (this is like a blood test) and then pictures are taken with a gamma camera. In addition medicine (in the form of tablets) may be given to prevent the uptake of radioactivity in the thyroid. The imaging sessions take up to two hours and may sometimes spread over two separate days. Your child will be assessed before the test to make sure the injection and the imaging are carried out in a way that is most comfortable and least stressful to your child.
We will not sedate your child as this requires an admission onto a ward, which in itself is a stressful event. However we have an experienced team of nurses and imaging technicians who are skilled in putting children at ease.
This test examines the function of the thyroid gland and looks at its position in your child's neck. It may be carried out on young babies when an initial blood test has shown low levels of thyroid hormones.
A small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected (this is like a blood test) and then pictures are taken with a gamma camera. Your child will be assessed before the test to make sure the injection and the imaging are carried out in a way that is most comfortable and least stressful to your child.
We will not sedate your child as this requires an admission onto a ward, which in itself is a stressful event. However we have an experienced team of nurses and imaging technicians who are skilled in putting children at ease.