What Is a Thyroid Uptake Scan?
A thyroid uptake scan uses a small amount of radioactive iodine to image how actively your thyroid is functioning.
How It Works
- Swallow radioactive iodine pill
- Scan after 4–6 and 24 hours
- Measures how much iodine the thyroid absorbs
- Shows distribution of activity
Patterns
- Diffuse high uptake: Graves' disease
- No uptake: thyroiditis (inflammation)
- Focal high uptake: toxic adenoma (hot nodule)
- Uneven uptake: multinodular goiter
When Ordered
- Hyperthyroidism confirmed by labs
- To determine cause before treatment
- Cannot be done during pregnancy
Source: American Thyroid Association, NLM MedlinePlus.
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