What is Nuclear Medicine?
Nuclear medicine is a subspecialty in radiology that uses small amounts if radioactive material to diagnose or treat disease and other abnormalities within the body.
A radioactive tracer is injected into a vein and collects in the area of your body being examined. This tracer gives off energy in the form of gamma rays. The energy is detected by a gamma camera. The camera works together with a computer to measure the amount of radiotracer absorbed by the body. Special pictures are produced which give details on the structure and function of the organs being examined. These noninvasive and painless tests help physicians diagnose various medical conditions.
Nuclear medicine differs from most other imaging modalities in that the tests primarily show the function of the system being investigated as opposed to the anatomy. Nuclear medicine images can be superimposed on images from modalities such as CT or MRI. This practice is often referred to as image fusion.
What to Expect
Bone Scan:
- No special preparations before you arrive.
- You will receive an injection and returns for scan 3-4 hours later
- Scan time is 60-90 minutes
Dual Isotope Stress Test (Adenosine or treadmill):
- Please follow the instructions that will be mailed to you.
Hepatobiliary Scan (with or without ejection fraction):
- No food or drinks for at least 6 hours
- No pain medication for 6 hours
- Scan time is 1-4 hours
Liver- Spleen Scan:
- No special preparations before you arrive.
- Scan time is 1 hour
Our Equipment
Siemens Symbia Intevo Excel SPECT/CT
- Bone Scans: three-phase, whole body & SPECT
- Nuclear Stress Tests MUGA
- HIDA, Renal, Liver Scans
- Gastric Emptying, Parathyroid
Your Appointment
Nuclear medicine studies are performed on the lower level of our 1118 Hampshire Street building.
If you need to reschedule your appointment or if you have questions, please call 217-222-6550, ext. 3284.