Schilling Test

Vitamin B12 Absorption Test

Risks

The amount of radiation exposure from a Schilling test is too low to be harmful, except for the baby (fetus) of a pregnant woman. The Schilling test is not done on women who are pregnant or who are breast-feeding.

There are no risks associated with collecting a 24-hour urine sample. The amount of radioactivity in the urine isn't harmful to you or others.

In rare cases, an allergic reaction may occur to the radioactive B12 used in this test.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: April 13, 2007
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology
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