What is Nuclear Medicine?
Nuclear Medicine is a radiology imaging modality that uses radioactive materials to obtain images of the body’s physiology. Other than an intravenous injection or an oral administration of the radioactive materials, these procedures are typically noninvasive and usually painless. Depending on the study, the procedure can range from 20 to 30 minutes to a few hours. In some cases, multiple day studies in which the patient leaves and returns at specific times are necessary. The radiation from the pharmaceuticals is generally very minimal.
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What is Nuclear Medicine Used For?
The images taken using Nuclear Medicine can diagnose many different diseases or physiological issues. Some of these issues include: infection, kidney function, gallbladder function and thyroid function. It can also be used in the detection of cancer, tumors and metastatic processes.
What Does the Equipment Look Like?
Above you will see a picture of our Nuclear Medicine equipment. It is open at both ends and the table moves through the opening. Once in the opening, a quiet camera scans your body. We’ll place a pillow under your knees and provide a warm blanket if you’d like one.
For more information, please visit: http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=gennuclear.