SeHCAT

A SeHCAT scan assesses if there is an abnormality with your bile salt absorption. Bile salts help to digest fats and eliminate toxins from the body. When bile salts are not absorbed properly, the bowel cannot function properly, causing diarrhoea.

Having a SeHCAT scan requires you to attend two appointments, seven days apart.

If there is a possibility that you are pregnant or you are currently breastfeeding please inform the department before your appointment as we will likely have to re-schedule.

Whenever possible, please attend your appointment alone, unless you need a carer to support any additional needs.

If you are taking:

• Loperamide (Immodium).
• Cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite).
• Cholesevelam (Welchol).
• Colestipol (Colestid, Colestipid).
• Any other medications that affect bowel motility.

Please stop these the day before the test and only start again after the second scan.

At your first appointment, you will be required to swallow a SeHCAT capsule, which contains a small amount of a radioactive tracer.

It will take a minimum of one hour for this capsule to work. You may leave the department during this time and can eat and drink normally.

When you return for your scan you do not usually have to undress but we will ask you to remove any metal objects such as phones, belts, keys.

For the scan you will be required to stand still for five minutes.

SeHCAT scan

After this, the nuclear medicine technologist will ask you to wait for a few minutes while they check the images from your scan.

To calculate the exact amount of radioactive tracer remaining in your body we will do the same scan again. This time you will not have to swallow the capsule 1 hour beforehand.

After each appointment you can resume all usual activities. Eat as normal and keep well hydrated.