Medical Tests and Procedures
It is important to understand any medical procedure or test you may need. Find factsheets about medical procedures and tests on Health Resource Directory.
Gastric emptying scan
What is a gastric emptying scan? A Gastric Emptying Scan is a test to examine if there is a problem with the movement of food through the stomach and examines how long it takes for a meal to move through the stomach. It provides functional information that other tests may...
Gallium scan
What is a gallium scan? A Gallium Scan is a test that is used to detect a number of diseases including infections, inflammation and various tumours, particularly Lymphoma. It provides information that may not be obtained by other tests such as X-rays or CT Scans. What do I need...
Iron therapy
What is iron therapy? Iron therapy is when you get iron injected into your vein through an intravenous (IV) infusion. Your body needs iron to make healthy red blood cells. There are many reasons you may not have enough iron in your body, including: Lack of iron in diet Heavy...
Positive FOBT result
What is it? A Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) looks for blood in your bowel motion (poo). A positive result means blood was found in your sample. One in 14 people will have a positive FOBT result. But only 1 in 95 will have bowel cancer. Some reasons for a...
Colonoscopy
What is it? A colonoscopy uses a long, snake like tube with a light and camera to look inside the large bowel. It is inserted into the rectum and can take samples of tissue or growths that are found. A doctor may suggest a colonoscopy if you have bowel problems...
Voluntary assisted dying in NSW
What is voluntary assisted dying? Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) means a person can ask for medical help to end their life. The law in New South Wales says for a person to access VAD, they must: Be an adult (18 years or older) Be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or...
Dilatation and curettage
What is a dilatation and curettage? A Dilatation and Curettage (D&C) is an operation performed on women to scrape away the lining of the uterus. It is also called a curette. It is a day-surgery procedure usually done under a general anaesthetic. A D&C is sometimes done to assess potential...
Surgical termination of pregnancy
What is a surgical termination of pregnancy? Surgical termination of pregnancy is a safe day-surgery procedure. It can be performed anywhere between 7 to 22 weeks. Women may have a termination for an unintended pregnancy or because of pregnancy complications. If it is for an unintended pregnancy, this will need...
Medical termination of pregnancy
What is medical termination? A medical termination uses medication to end a pregnancy. It is safe and effective for pregnancies up to nine weeks gestation. Women may have a medical termination due to an unintended pregnancy or because pregnancy complications require a termination. What do I need to do...