Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine imaging is a method of photographing the bones, organs, and tissue structures within the body. It can tell your physician not only what your body looks like on the inside, but also how well your organs and tissue structures are functioning. Unlike an x-ray or MRI which provide structural or geographic information only, nuclear medicine records activity on a molecular level.

The system works by detecting benign radiation emitted from a radioisotope given to a patient. Once inside the patient, the radioisotope is attracted to a specific organ or area of the body. These areas absorb the radioisotope in quantities greater than that absorbed by surrounding tissues.

Nuclear Medicine is used to help detect early signs of heart, lung, liver, thyroid, bone, or kidney disease, small tumors, or even infections. The amount of radiation received from a nuclear medicine scan is very low—about the same as for a single chest x-ray. Below are some more specific indications that may require the use of nuclear medicine:

• Image blood flow and function of the heart
• Identify blockage of the gallbladder
• Evaluate bones for fracture, infection, arthritis or tumor
• Determine the presence or spread of cancer
• Identify bleeding into the bowel
• Locate the presence of infection
• Measure thyroid function to detect an overactive or underactive thyroid