Meckel’s Scan

A Meckel’s scan is an imaging test that helps healthcare providers diagnose Meckel’s diverticulum. This is a small pouch that can form in the wall of your child’s small intestine before birth.

Most children with Meckel’s diverticulum never develop symptoms. But some children have stomach-type tissue inside the pouch. This tissue can produce acid, which may cause ulcers and bleeding in their intestine.

A Meckel’s scan looks for this stomach-type tissue to help figure out whether Meckel’s diverticulum may be causing your child’s symptoms.

How does the test work?

A Meckel’s scan is a type of nuclear medicine imaging test. A healthcare provider injects a radioactive tracer material into your child’s vein. It travels through their bloodstream to their organs and tissues.

Certain types of tissues — like those in Meckel’s diverticulum — absorb more of the tracer. These areas will show up brighter in the scan.

A few days before the test, your child’s healthcare provider may prescribe them a medication that reduces stomach acid. These may include an H2 blocker or a proton pump inhibitor.

They may also ask you to avoid feeding your child for a few hours before the test. This can make the results more accurate, but it’s not required.

What to expect during the test

During the test, you might need to wait in a separate room from your child. You can let them know that you’ll be close by. Explain to them that they’ll lie on a table while doctors check them to make sure they’re well. If you think your child might have trouble staying still or calm, a provider can give them a mild sedative.

During a Meckel’s scan:

1. A healthcare provider will locate a vein in your child’s arm, leg, hand or foot to install an IV line. They’ll prick the vein and attach the IV line.
2. The provider may put medicine in the IV first. This may include a sedative or the hormone glucagon. Glucagon helps slow down your child’s gut, so the tracer has more time to absorb.
3. Then, they’ll put the radioactive tracer into the IV. The tracer they use is called technetium‐99m pertechnetate. It’s a small, safe dose of radiation. It’s about the same as what you get from an X-ray.
4. The tracer will flow through your child’s bloodstream. It’ll build up in certain types of tissue in your child’s body. This includes the tissue in Meckel’s diverticulum, if it exists.
5. The tracer will take a little time to absorb. It usually takes about 10 to 20 minutes. Most hospitals will play movies that your child can watch while they lie on the table. They may want to have a toy with them, too.
6. Then, the provider will take a series of images. This part may take up to 30 minutes.

What are the risks of the test?

The risks are very small. Most people have mild side effects, if any. These can include:

• Bleeding from the IV site
• Nausea or vomiting (from the glucagon)
• Chills or a rash (from the radioactive tracer)

Rarely, some people can have a serious allergic reaction to the radioactive tracer. If this happens, a healthcare provider will give your child epinephrine right away to stop the reaction.

What to expect after the test

After the test, the scanner will send data to a computer, which will convert it into images. A radiologist will read the images and write a report. The report will say whether they found Meckel’s diverticulum or not. Your child’s healthcare provider will discuss the report and next steps with you.

What happens if the scan is negative?

If your child’s healthcare provider highly suspects that your child has Meckel’s diverticulum, they might suggest repeating the Meckel’s scan. The scan is about 90% accurate. But sometimes, it can miss this small pouch.

Or their provider might suggest another test, like a capsule endoscopy, to look inside your child’s intestines.

What happens if the scan is positive?

If the scan finds that Meckel’s diverticulum is the source of your child’s symptoms, they may need an operation. This may be a diverticulectomy or a segmental small bowel resection. The procedure your child’s provider uses will depend on several factors, including:

• Your child’s anatomy
• How wide the base of the diverticulum is
• Whether the segment of small bowel is healthy at the base