Locations
Office
Renton, WA
Vantage Radiology
Federal Way, WA
About
Bio
I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given, the amazing Mentors who have trained me well, and the medical community who support my efforts to bring you the best medical care one can find anywhere.
I enjoy an active life, participating in a number of sports, I love the outdoors, music and ballroom dance.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Nuclear Medicine
Radiology
Doctor Q&A
46 Answers
54 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 39-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Low clearance: In our lab, a gallbladder ejection fraction below 35% indicates some form of biliary dyskinesia. This means it does not clear or empty as well as it s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 53-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
See your doctor: The gallbladder ejection fraction of 7% indicates a problem..Usually more chronic, which may well have contributed. It is possible to have more than o... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 67-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Needs correlation: A bone scan looks at the metabolism around the replacement. If there is lots of uptake, that means there is lots of bone turn over. Unfortunately seve... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
not by itself: In our lab, values between 35% to 90% are generally considered normal.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
See your doctor: A hida ef of 70% is generally normal. The pain is not. Different things can cause this, best to see your doctor. A specialist in gastroenterology may ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Depends on insurance: At our hospital, a thyroid uptake and scan cost just over $1000. The cost to the patient is different and depends on your insurance.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Free to travel: The amount of radioactivity you would take for an uptake test is very tiny....You are free to travel where you want.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Yes: Yes, it can shrink. Most solid nodules are adenomas and are benign. If it shrinks that is a good sign...It is .Likely benign.
It is the ones that get... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Not necessarily: A diagnosis requires assessment of both the images, and the symptoms. It is possible to have no pain and still have a diseased gallbladder.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
See gb= no cholecys: It is hard to know why the study ended... Without looking at the study. If the clinical question was is there acute cholecystitis( inflammation of gal... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Yes: A treadmill stress test can be done with or without a nuclear medicine study. If someone already had a test which was borderline or inconclusive..Imag... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
See your doctor: In our lab, an ejection fraction between 35%-90 is normal. A number of things can cause nausea, weight loss and pain...Like a problem with your bowel,... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Both help: No one test can see everything. There are some types of bone lesions which are better seen on a bone scan, while others are better seen on a pet scan.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
NM-diagnosis: Nuclear medicine uses small amounts of radioactive materials to do imaging (mostly), (and sometimes treat patients). Radiation oncology usually uses e... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Not necessarily: There are different types of "reaction".
Although very rare, it is possible to have an allergic reaction to one of the medicines used during the stud... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Not usually...but: Not ususally (if it is one isolated event), but if someone is drinking a lot of alcohol it can damage the liver, which could affect a hida study.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Detailed anatomy: No imaging study has all of the information or answers, however nuclear medicine is especially helpful to identify physiology in the body. That is..Th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Pro:study metabolism: Pros: it is one of the few types of studies that gives information about function or metabolism, where studies like ct and MRI and most ultrasounds a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Yes, go to the DR.: Yes, that does not sound good, you need to be seen right away. You could have a pleural effusion, but that does not explain the nodules . I assume you... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Depends: That is really hard to say without seeing the study. Uptake of the material indicates bone metabolism....We often see more metabolism near joints. If ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Air flow: A VQ scan looks at ventilation, and perfusion(blood flow) to the lungs. In the ventilation scan, a patient will be asked to breath in either a fine mi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
See your Dr: A few different things could cause this like intraductal papillomas or mastitis, even normal changes in ones cycle can cause pain and breast congestio... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Many possibilities : There could be many reasons to not continue.
1) there could be a technical problem with the camera or radiopharmaceutical.
2)the dr could call and s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Values look high: In our lab an uptake above 10% at 4-6hrs is high.
And an uptake above 32% at 24 hrs is also high.
Values that are high generally indicate an over ac... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old male asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Be: Be careful of not only sugar, but carbohydrates. Healthy plant based fats may help (coconut oil).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Not likely: Usually we say dont fast more than 24 hrs. So in general 20 hrs would probably be ok...We would not want someone to fast much longer then that. Howeve... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Lots of metabolism: Intense uptake generally means lots of bone metabolism. One needs to see the pattern to make an assessment. This can be generalized, or patchy..Or in ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 28-year-old male asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Probably: Someone can still have gallbladder disease wthout having abnormal liver function/labs. If symptoms are related to the right upper abdomen, gallbladder... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old male asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Ask your hospital: At our hospital we use spect imaging which is like 3d.
The cost is about $1700. The cost to the patient will depend on their insurance. Call your hos... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Maybe not: Areas if increased uptake can be caused by a number of different things. Fractures can do this as well as arthritis (if near a joint), infection and y... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old male asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Food sensitivity: Gas x..Over the counter simethicone may help, but need to get to bottom of what is causing the issue. You may have lactose intolerance, or sensitivity... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Fast for 4hrs before: The prep for a hida is to not eat for 4 hrs before the study, but we do not want you to fast more than 24 hrs.
Pain pills 5 days before the study sho... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Maybe, maybe not: An ejection fraction of 15% is low and abnormal in our lab. But your doctor needs to decide if you need the gallbladder out by looking at other things... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Yes: A hida scan is used to evaluate for acute cholecystitis with an overall accuracy of 98% (pain or not)...Although it would be very unusual to have acut... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 53-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Inflam=more uptake: Areas of increased blood flow and inflammation with cause more uptake in that area on a bone scan. So if someone has an inflammatory arthritis, we wou... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 54-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Normal in our lab: In our lab, an ejection fraction between 35%-90 is normal. Many things can cause nausa, vomiting and diarrhea...Like a problem with your bowel or stom... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
35%-90% normal range: In our lab gallbladder ejection fractions between 35% and 90% are considered normal. Having trouble with eating can be caused by many different proble... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Pro: functional data: Advantage: gives information on function
limitations: poor at looking at structure detail or anatomy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Biliary scan=hida : Yes a biliary scan is a hide or pipida scan. Cck may or may not be used during the study. If they are going to calculate how well your gallbladder con... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
unlikely: The good thing with seeing the gallbladder(you can't calculate an ejection fraction unless the gallbladder filled first) is that it is very good with ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Yes, but not common: Yes, just about any study can have false positives, however it is not common with a hida scan.
Things which can interfere with the study and cause a ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Both, mostly diag: Most work we do in nuclear medicine is for diagnosis. However there are a few things we do for treatment.For example, we help treat thyroid disease (h... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
New bone matrix: The injection is something that your body uses like a phosphate (methylene diphosphonate). In general when your body makes new bone, it will "grab" so... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
X-ray often good: Each imaging modality has its own strengths and weaknesses. Usually will start with a regular x-ray..Since it may answer the question, is fast, easy a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Still normal range: Low normal means the results are still in the normal range, but tend to fall near the lower end of a normal curve.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Virginia Klaasanswered
Nuclear Medicine 34 years experience
Just over $1000: At our institution a thyroid uptake and scan is billed at just over $1000. Your cost would be different depending on your insurance.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
4
Recommendations
72
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Dec 16, 2012
WOW! This doctor is smart and will really listen to you! I don't know how many times I've been treated by a doctor, who may be a great practitioner, but could use improvement in people skills. Dr. K...Read More
HealthTap member
Dec 16, 2012
Dr. Klaas is one of the most amazing medical providers I have ever had the privilege of having care for me. Imagine my surprise when I found myself in a hospital bed, and the radiologist at my bedside...Read More
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Klaas is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Not having the symptoms right now; I always have IBS, but this was new
HealthTap member
This saved my life. Thank You! I am doing a chemistry project on this. Getting answers is really help
HealthTap member
Your answer saved my life! Thanks :) I was wondering what that meant, had a bone scan recently.
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
Graduated 1989MD
Residency
Stanford Hospital and Clinics
Awards
Top Doctor, Seattle Metropolitan Magazine
Top Doctor, Seattle Magazine,
Top 1% Nuclear Medicine Specialist, US News World Reports
Affiliations
American Roentgen Ray Society
American College of Radiology
Society of Nuclear Medicine
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