Nuclear scanning tests use a special camera to take pictures of certain tissues in the body after a radioactive tracer (radionuclide or radioisotope) accumulates in the tissues to make them visible. Each type of tissue that may be scanned (including bones, organs, glands, and blood vessels) uses a different radioactive compound as a tracer. The tracer remains in the body temporarily before it is eliminated as waste, usually in the urine or stool (feces).

During a spleen scan, a tracer called radioactive technetium-99m sulfur colloid is injected into a vein in the arm. It travels through the bloodstream to the spleen. Areas of the liver and spleen where the tracer accumulates in higher than normal amounts, such as in some types of tumors, show up as bright or “hot” spots in the pictures. Areas where the tracer accumulates in lower than normal amounts (or fails to accumulate) show up as dark or “cold” spots. Cold spots can indicate abscesses, certain types of tumors, or problems with liver function (such as from hepatitis or cirrhosis).

Scans of the liver and the spleen are obtained at the same time.

Liver and Spleen Scan
Results

The results of a liver and spleen scan are usually available within 2 days.

Normal reasults:

 - Normal amounts of the radioactive tracer are evenly distributed in the liver and spleen. No areas of abnormally high or low accumulations are seen.

 - The liver and spleen are normal in size, shape, and location.

Abnormal results:

 - The tracer may not accumulate in certain areas of the liver or spleen, indicating one or more cold spots. A cold spot may be caused by a cyst, an abscess, a collection of blood (hematoma), or a tumor.

 - The tracer may not accumulate in the liver or spleen in the expected amounts or may be taken up unevenly. These results may be caused by diseases such as hepatitis or cirrhosis.

 - The liver or spleen may be enlarged because of a disease or may have an abnormal shape because a tumor is pressing against the organ.

 - Higher than normal amounts of the radionuclide may accumulate in some areas of the liver or spleen, causing hot spots. These hot spots may be caused by certain types of tumors.