Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine uses tiny amounts of radioactive materials, called radiopharmaceuticals, to diagnose and treat disease. These materials can be injected, inhaled or swallowed. Once inside the body, the radiopharmaceuticals are detected by special types of cameras that work with computers to provide pictures about the area of the body being imaged. This camera shows the radiologist what is happening inside your body.

The procedure is relatively painless and the amount of radiation exposure is comparable with that received during a diagnostic X-ray. Nuclear medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities very early in the progress of a disease. Nuclear medicine can identify lesions located deep in the body without exploratory surgery. It also can tell whether or not a person's brain is receiving adequate blood flow. Following a heart attack, nuclear medicine scans can be used to assess damage done to the heart.