What is a protein-losing enteropathy scan?
Sometimes you or your child may be suffering from malnutrition. One cause of protein malnutrition is a condition called protein-losing enteropathy, where micronutrient proteins are lost through the intestinal walls and ultimately excreted in the faeces.
Human serum album in a complex natural protein found in the blood. It acts predominantly as a carrier for various other molecules and by virtue of its size and negative electric charge cannot escape from the intravascular space unless you have a protein-losing state.
In nuclear medicine we have taken this same molecule and attached a radioactive substance that emits gamma rays that can be detected by a special machine called a gamma camera. This allows us to image exactly where the proteins are being lost or if indeed there is global intestinal loss.
What can I expect to happen?
At injection (on the imaging bed) you will immediately be imaged first for blood flow and then be continuously imaged for up to 90 minutes.
A second series can and may be acquired at 4-6 hours after injection.
