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Q: I will be having a nuclear med. study before my mastecomy, how painful is it?
Hi Elva - I assume you mean a PET scan, or something similar? Not painful at all. You drink a liquid, and get scanned by a machine. It's like having any other kind of X-ray. You should be just fine (although the liquid isn't the tastiest thing you've ever had...) Good luck - PJH
I've had some nuclear imaging tests where the material was administered through an IV, so there was a little pain with inserting the IV. I have "bad veins" so I get stressed about IV's. However, the tests themselves have never been painful. As PJ says, you can also take the material that makes the test work by drinking it.
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I also had a double mastectomy and recently had a PET scan. Although I did not swallow anything, but instead had it through an IV, I slept through the study! I actually took something that would help me to relax beforehand, they kept me warm,and I laid in this nice room that had a comfortable bed. The only difference was that there was an IV to administer the medicine for the PET scan. I experienced no discomfort at all. It took about an hour and a half, but they specifically said to try not to move very much. It was one of the easier tests I have had to have done.
I have also had imaging prior to a cancer surgery, or lumpectomy, in nuclear medicine to better illuminate the area they needed to remove. This was right before the surgery and was not painful but involved a bluish kind of die. My skin also turned blue temporarily afterwards, but then went away. This was also given to me through an IV. I had no pain, and do not remember any discomfort. Best wishes to you.