What is Nuclear Medicine?

At your local Medical Imaging Center, we provide nuclear medicine exams to produce images based on the detection of energy sent out from a radioactive substance given to the patient. The radiation levels that a patient receives are generally comparable to that of a standard X-ray exam.

What does a Nuclear Medicine examination do?

A nuclear medicine examination produces images that can help a physician to diagnose a specific disease/disorder or capture images of infections or tumors in specific organs. A patient is given a small amount of a radioactive compound that localizes in specific body organ systems. This compound gives off energy as gamma rays that are detected by a camera that produces the images onto a computer. Nuclear medicine exams are commonly used to evaluate blood flow and function of the heart, respiratory, and blood flow to the lungs, kidney functions, and the presence of cancer, to name a few.

How to Schedule a Nuclear Medicine appointment:

Your physician’s office must call to schedule an appointment. A significant amount of information is needed prior to scheduling each exam. Required data include type of exam, clinical problem, and previous history.