Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine scans usually involve an injection or ingestion of a radioactive material. This material is not harmful and will typically pass through the body in 24 to 48 hours.

Nuclear medicine studies include:

• Hepatobiliary Study (HIDA Scan) – to demonstrate the function of the gallbladder
• Bone Scan – to detect bone cancer, osteomyelitis, musculoskeletal trauma, bone lesions and arthritis
• Liver/Spleen Scan – shows the function of the liver and spleen and is useful in assessing chronic liver disease and the size of these organs
• Lung scan – used to diagnose pulmonary embolism or to evaluate pulmonary function prior to lung reduction surgery
• Parathyroid scan – used to detect and localize parathyroid adenomas
• Renal scan – examines the anatomy and function of the kidneys
• Thyroid scan and uptake – measure the size and function of the thyroid gland. Can also be used to evaluate thyroid nodules
• Gastric emptying – used to evaluate stomach function and delays in gastric emptying
• Whole body PET/CT Scan – evaluates the metabolism of a particular organ or tissue to detect biochemical changes that can identify the onset of a disease process.