1. What is Nuclear Medicine?
     2. How should I prepare for my examination?
     3. What should I expect during the procedure?
     4. What Should I expect after the exam?

What is Nuclear Medicine?

Nuclear Medicine involves the use of small amounts of radioactive materials (often called “tracers”) to help diagnose and treat a variety of diseases. Your doctor has referred your for a test in the nuclear medicine department because the information obtained from the test will be important in determining the diagnosis and treatment of the medical problem you may have. Nuclear Medicine helps to determine the cause of the medical problem based on the function of a tissue, bone, organ, or system, unlike an x-ray which determines the presence of disease based on structural appearance. Millions of nuclear medicine examinations are performed each year in the United States alone. Nuclear Medicine tests (also known as scans, examinations or procedures) are safe and painless.
In a Nuclear Medicine test, the radioactive material is introduced into the body by injection, ingestion, or inhalation. In a nuclear medicine test, the radioactive material or tracer is introduced into the body by injection, swallowing or inhalation. Different tracers are used to study different parts of the body. The amount of radioactive material used is carefully selected to provide the least amount of radiation exposure to the patient, but ensure an accurate examination. A special piece of equipment, a gamma camera, is used to obtain the images. The camera does this by detecting the tracer in the organ being imaged and then records this information on a computer screen and/or film
Because nuclear medicine procedures utilize very small doses of short-lived isotopes (ones that only stay radioactive for a few hours or days), the amount of radiation received is generally less than or equal to that of an x-ray. Whole body and healthy tissue doses can be minimized while the radioisotope is targeted toward the affected tissue or organ.

Common Applications

•  Thyroid function

•  Evaluating organ function

•  Diagnosing and staging cancer

•  Evaluating cardiac muscle health

•  Stress or fracture identification

How should I prepare for my examination?

The preparation for nuclear medicine is very specific to the type of exam you are having. Our staff will personally explain your procedure and provide you with detailed instructions prior to your appointment. You should wear comfortable clothing to the appointment.

What should I expect during the procedure?

Nuclear Medicine procedures may last from one hour to several hours. You will be given the tracer either by injection or pill. You will then be asked to wait to give the tracer time to travel to its destination. The wait can for a few minutes or for several hours depending on the procedure you are having.
Once the tracer has reached its destination, the scan will begin. The scan is quiet and painless. You will lie either on your stomach or back while the detector collects information and counts the tracer activity. Some patients actually nap during the procedure or listen to music.

What Should I expect after the exam?

There are no side of the tracer that is given to you for this study. You can resume your normal activity immediately after the procedure. The tracer will flush through your system within 24 hours of the dosage.
Your scan will be reviewed and interpreted by one of our staff radiologists. Any previous studies will be compared to your current exam.