What is Nuclear Medicine?
Nuclear medicine produces images to help assess how well a part of your body is functioning. Your doctor may use a nuclear medicine scan to aid in making a diagnosis and plan treatment if you are experiencing a health problem.
Other terms your doctor might use for a nuclear medicine scan are:
- Nuclear scan
- Nuclear imaging
- Radionuclide imaging
A nuclear scan uses a small amount of radiation called a tracer to create pictures of the tissues, bones, or organs inside your body. The radioactive material collects in the area of your body being evaluated, allowing special cameras to find it and generate images on a computer. The computer then turns the images into 3D pictures, sometimes with color added for extra clarity. A radiologist or a doctor who specializes in nuclear medicine interprets the pictures and sends a report to your doctor.
Nuclear imaging can provide important information that can’t be obtained from other types of testing. Its main difference from X-ray, ultrasound, and other tests is its ability to evaluate how an organ functions and its chemistry. Other imaging methods are primarily used to assess how an organ looks in terms of shape and form. Nuclear medicine scans may be used instead of exploratory surgery to improve diagnosis and treatment quality and promote the discovery of illnesses earlier.
Despite using radiation, the level of radioactive material in this kind of test tends to be very low and reactions to it are very rare. Still, be sure to tell your doctor about any allergies and if you’ve had problems with nuclear medicine scans in the past.
Why You Might Need a Nuclear Scan
Nuclear images help doctors diagnose and treat conditions such as:
- Blood disorders
- Bone infections, fractures, and other problems
- Cancer
- Gallbladder disease
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Lung problems
- Organ enlargement
- Thyroid/gland problems
Nuclear scans are especially useful for diagnosing cancer because they show tumors and track if they are spreading inside the body. They also are a way to check blood circulation and how well treatment of cancer or other disease is working.
Common Types of Nuclear Testing
Texas Health offers a variety of nuclear medicine tests to diagnose and treat health problems. Some of the tests available include:
- Bone Scan: Able to find bone changes earlier than regular X-ray imaging. It can also check the joints for arthritis and may find problems in the bones, such as diseases, tumors, or the cause of pain or inflammation.
- Gallium Scan: Good for organ or whole-body scans and may diagnose infectious or inflammatory diseases and tumors.
- Heart (MUGA) Scan:Can spot problems with blood flow to the heart. This scan can also gauge how well the heart is working and figure out the extent of damage to the heart after a heart attack.
- PET/CT Scan: Provides information on any areas of increased cell activity (PET) and zeros in on the areas of concern (CT).
- Thyroid Scan: Checks how the thyroid is working and can be used to find thyroid cancers.
What to Expect During a Nuclear Medicine Scan
Your preparation for a nuclear scan will depend on the type of test you are having and the area of the body that will be studied. Some scans require that you not eat or drink for 2 to 12 hours beforehand. For others, you may have no restrictions at all.
Nuclear scans are painless and are often done as outpatient procedures. A nuclear scan usually lasts about 30 to 60 minutes, plus the time it takes for the tracer to be absorbed. For example, in a bone scan, the tracer is given about 2-3 hours before the test begins. For gallium scans, the tracer is given a few days before the test.
The tracer sends out small doses of radiation and may be administered by pill, inhaled as a gas, or given to you through a vein.
Before your scan:
- Your doctor will explain what will happen during the test and answer any questions you may have.
- Be sure your doctor knows everything you take, even over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements. You may need to avoid some medicines before your test.
- Choose clothes for the procedure without metal, like zippers, underwire bras, belts, or jewelry that could interfere with the scan.
- Don’t forget to bring your photo ID and insurance card to your appointment.
During your scan:
- You will lie still on a padded table under a special camera while it takes a series of pictures of the area being examined. For a thyroid scan, you may sit in a chair that faces the scanner.
- The technologist may have you change positions to allow different views to be taken.
- Loose, comfortable clothing is ideal during the procedure. You may be asked to change into a hospital gown to make the test more comfortable.
After your scan:
- Generally, you can resume your normal activities and diet immediately.
- You will be asked to drink a lot of water to flush the radioactive material from your body.
- Images from your scan are interpreted by a nuclear medicine specialist who is trained to look for any abnormalities or disease and then make a diagnosis.
- Your doctor will discuss the results with you.
Sources:
American Cancer Society
Cleveland Clinic