About Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine

A Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine scan gives doctors information that they cannot get from other tests, including how organs function and blood flow. They can use this information to find and treat many health conditions. Often, these scans are more accurate than exploratory surgery. They also may identify a disease at its earliest stage, when it is easier to treat. Nuclear medicine scans can be used for many types of diseases and are less expensive than other types of imaging.

For a nuclear medicine test, you will be given a small amount of a radioactive substance. The substance is called a radiotracer and it is administered by injection or swallowing, depending on the type of exam you have. As the radiotracer collects in body tissue, it gives off radiation that is detected by a special camera, such as a gamma or PET scanner. The cameras make special pictures that show the location and activity of the radiotracer in your body.

The Role of Nuclear Medicine in Early Disease Detection

The pictures of the nuclear medicine examination are very detailed and require that you be extremely still during the procedure. Keeping still is important because any movement can affect the quality of the images. Usually, the entire procedure lasts less than an hour.

The test is done on an outpatient basis. You will be asked to remove any jewelry or other objects that could interfere with the test. A nurse or technologist will start an IV (intravenous) line in a vein in your hand or arm. You will then lie on an exam table. The nuclear medicine technician will inject the radiotracer into the IV line or have you swallow it or inhale it as a gas.