Nuclear medicine studies show the structure of an organ and whether or not it is functioning properly. These studies help in the early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of numerous medical conditions. When you have an exam performed in Nuclear medicine, you will be given a small amount of a radioactive material (known as a tracer). The tracers are introduced into the body by injection, swallowing, or inhalation. Different tracers are used to study different parts of the body. A special camera will be used to produce pictures of the body, called a scan.
There are more than 100 different nuclear medicine examinations. Sarasota Memorial’s Nuclear Medicine division offers a full range of nuclear medicine tests, including ventilation and perfusion (V/Q) scans to assess blood flow and air movement in the lungs; stress perfusion scans to measure coronary artery blood flow and cardiac muscle damage; bone scans and positron emission tomography (PET) scans to detect the spread of cancer; liver, spleen, gallbladder and kidney scans to evaluate organ function; thyroid scans to visualize activity of the thyroid gland; and scans of the gastrointestinal system to identify active bleeding sites.
Learn more about some of the more common tests and how to prepare for them at the links below:
- Biliary Scan (HIDA)
- Bone Scan
- Brain Scan
- DaTscan Brain Scan
- Gastric Emptying Scan - 2 Hour (GES)
- Gastric Emptying Scan - 4 Hour (GES)
- Liver Spleen Scan
- Lung Scan (V/Q)
- Adreview Scan (MIBG)
- Myocardial Perfusion Scan (MIBI)
- Gated Blood Pool Scan (MUGA)
- Parathyroid Scan
- Prostascint Scan
- Prostascint Preparation
- Renal (Kidney) Scan
- Thyroid Scan
- Total Body Iodine Scan
Sarasota Memorial’s Nuclear Medicine Laboratories are accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Nuclear Medicine Laboratories (ICANL). Accreditation signifies that Sarasota Memorial’s facilities have been reviewed by an independent agency and recognized for their commitment to quality testing for the diagnosis of heart disease.