Nuclear Medicine is available at CMH every Thursday.
How does nuclear medicine work?
Nuclear medicine uses very small amounts of radioactive materials or radiophamaceuticals to diagnose and treat disease. These tracers are introduced into the body by injection, swallowing, or inhalation. Radiopharmaceuticals are substances that are attracted to specific organs, bones, or tissues and are used to study different parts of the body. The radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine emit gamma rays that can be detected externally by special types of cameras called gamma cameras.
Is nuclear medicine safe?
Nuclear medicine procedures are among the safest diagnostic imaging exams available. A patient only receives an extremely small amount of a radiopharmaceutical, just enough to provide a sufficient diagnostic information. In fact, the amount of radiation from a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to, or often times less than, that of a diagnostic x-ray.
Does the tracer cause side effects?
Adverse reactions, or side effects, are extremely rare, but do let the technologist know if you experience any symptoms during or after the tracer injection.
Frequently performed examinations
Bone scans to examine orthopedic injuries, fractures, tumors, or unexplained bone pain. Bone scans may also be ordered for follow-up cancer patients.
Heart scans to identify normal or abnormal blood flow to the heart muscle, measure heart function or determine the existence or extent of damage to the heart muscle after a heart attack.
Liver and gallbladder scans to evaluate liver and gallbladder function.
Lung scans to evaluate the flow of blood and movement of air into and out of the lung as well as determine the presence of blood clots.
Preparing for your examination
Please ask when scheduling your examination if there is any special preparation. Certain tests may require some slight preparation, varying from fasting six hours prior to the exam, to being well hydrated, to no prep at all.
You should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or think that you are pregnant. You should also tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Who performs nuclear medicine tests?
A nuclear medicine technologist, a health care professional trained and experienced in the theory and practice of nuclear medicine procedures, performs the test by administering the tracer, positioning the patient under the camera and operating the equipment used in the test. Our technologists are certified and are well educated in the field of Nuclear Medicine
Why do nuclear medicine tests take so much time?
The amount of time needed for a procedure depends on the type of test. Nuclear Medicine tests are performed in three parts: tracer administration, taking the pictures, and analyzing the images. For many tests, a certain amount of time is needed for the tracer to accumulate in the part of the body being studied before the pictures can be taken. During the imaging session, the time needed to obtain the pictures (from minutes to hours) will vary depending on the test.
- After your examination
You may resume your daily activities after your nuclear medicine examination. - The tracer you are given will remain in your body for a short period of time and is cleared from the body through natural bodily functions. Drinking fluids will help eliminate the tracer more quickly.
- A Board Certified Radiologist will interpret the images from your exam.