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NUCLEAR
MEDICINE
> What is Nuclear
Medicine and how does it work?
> What is it like to have a Nuclear Medicine
Exam?
> How do I prepare for a Nuclear Medicine
Exam?
> How do I make an appointment?
> Referral information for physicians.
> Additional
information on Nuclear Medicine
What is nuclear medicine and how does it work?
Nuclear medicine is an innovative way to look inside
your body using a radioactive liquid that you drink or that is injected
into your body. It lets doctors see if your body's systems are working
properly.
It works as follows: A safe form of radioactive
liquid is given by mouth or IV. A few hours later, you are examined
by an instrument called a gamma camera, which measures the radiation
as it travels through your body. The camera makes digital images
based on these measurements.
The radioactive agents used do emit some radiation,
but they have short half-lives, which means they quickly turn into
harmless material. The radiation level is very low, similar to and
in some cases less than x-ray tests.
There are several kinds of nuclear medicine exams,
and each looks at a specific part of the body:
- Bone scan - finds breaks, tumors, and
other bone conditions that x-rays may miss. You will be given
an injection, and within a few hours, technologists will be able
to measure the effect of the agent on the bones.
- Gallium scan - looks
at how the heart, lungs, and blood vessels are working. You receive
an injection of gallium and return two to five days later for
imaging. Images may be taken of only a specific body part, or
the doctor may look at your whole body.
- Thyroid uptake scan - this exam checks
to see if your thyroid gland is working well. You swallow a small
amount of radioactive iodine and then come back the next day.
This exam takes about an hour.
- Cardiac studies - several kinds of scans
that check the heart and blood vessels. One of the primary ways
is a stress test. After the injection of a radioactive agent,
you are measured right away. Then you exercise for a set amount
of time and are measured again. You are then checked later, when
you are at rest. This lets us watch blood flow around the heart
during different states of activity and checks for blockages or
coronary artery disease.
- Gall bladder scan - checks the gallbladder
for tumors or gallstones. This exam can be done within one day.
What is it like to have a nuclear medicine exam?
This depends greatly on the kind of exam required.
In most cases, the test takes one to three hours from beginning
to end. For some exams, you'll be given an injection or asked to
swallow something in a short visit, and then come back at a later
date for imaging. Some exams include having you go through a chamber
like an MRI or CT scan machine, while others focus on a specific
body area. In all cases, you'll need to hold still during the imaging.
Your results will be looked at by trained Nuclear
Medicine Technologists, who will analyze the images created and
share their findings with your doctor within a few days.
How should I prepare?
Talk to your doctor about the best way to prepare.
In many cases, you'll be asked to avoid food after midnight the
day of the test. For stress tests, you'll be asked to avoid caffeine
and you may need to stop taking your medications. Check with your
doctor about what you should do.
Diabetics, pregnant women, and nursing mothers should
talk to their doctor before having nuclear medicine imaging.
How do I make an appointment?
You, or your doctor's office, can make an appointment
by calling our central scheduling office:
Central Scheduling: 617-665-1298
To schedule an appointment, you must have a referral
order from a primary care physician.
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Referral information for physicians
You can make a referral for your patients by calling:
Central Scheduling: 617-665-1298
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