Nuclear medicine procedures can be time consuming. It can take hours to days for the radiotracer to accumulate in the part of the body under study and imaging may take up to several hours to perform, though in some cases, newer equipment is available that can substantially shorten the procedure time. The resolution of structures [...]
Benefits Nuclear medicine examinations offer information that is unique—including details on both function and structure—and often unattainable using other imaging procedures. For many diseases, nuclear medicine scans yield the most useful information needed to make a diagnosis or to determine appropriate treatment, if any. Nuclear medicine is less expensive and may yield more precise information [...]
Except for intravenous injections, most nuclear medicine procedures are painless and are rarely associated with significant discomfort or side effects. When the radiotracer is given intravenously, you will feel a slight pin prick when the needle is inserted into your vein for the intravenous line. When the radioactive material is injected into your arm, you [...]
Nuclear medicine imaging is usually performed on an outpatient basis, but is often performed on hospitalized patients as well. You will be positioned on an examination table. If necessary, a nurse or technologist will insert an ( intravenous (IV) line into a vein in your hand or arm. Depending on the type of nuclear medicine exam you [...]
With ordinary x-ray examinations, an image is made by passing x-rays through the body from an outside source. In contrast, nuclear medicine procedures use a radioactive material called a radiopharmaceutical or radiotracer, which is injected into your bloodstream, swallowed or inhaled as a gas. This radioactive material accumulates in the organ or area of your body being [...]
A PET scanner is a large machine with a round, doughnut shaped hole in the middle, similar to a CT or MRI unit. Within this machine are multiple rings of detectors that record the emission of energy from the radiotracer in your body. The CT scanner is typically a large, box-like machine with a [...]
You may be asked to wear a gown during the exam or you may be allowed to wear your own clothing. Women should always inform their physician or technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant or if they are breastfeeding. See the Safety page for more information about pregnancy and breastfeeding related to nuclear medicine [...]
PET and PET/CT scans are performed to: detect cancer. determine whether a cancer has spread in the body. assess the effectiveness of a treatment plan, such as cancer therapy. determine if a cancer has returned after treatment. determine blood flow to the heart muscle. determine the effects of a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, on areas [...]
Positron emission tomography, also called PET imaging or a PET scan, is a type of nuclear medicine imaging. Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose and determine the severity of or treat a variety of diseases, including many types of cancers, heart disease, gastrointestinal, endocrine, neurological [...]
