Nuclear Medicine

What is Nuclear Medicine?

A Nuclear Medicine exam is a diagnostic procedure that uses a tracer substance and a special camera to detect energy in the form of gamma rays.  It is often used to analyze kidney function, scan lungs for respiratory and blood-flow problems, check function of the heart, identify gallbladder blockage and evaluate bones.

The tracer substance, usually given to the patient through an IV but sometimes given orally, contains a small amount of radioactive material that settles in a specific organ and gives off energy.

The camera captures the energy and works with a computer to produce images and measurements of your organs and tissues.

What are the benefits of Nuclear Medicine?

• Nuclear Medicine is a safe procedure with a very low incidence of side effects.
• For many diseases, nuclear medicine studies provide information that is currently unavailable using other imagine procedures.
• Nuclear Medicine is much less traumatic than exploratory surgery.