Nuclear medicine

http://www.umediagnostics.com/diagnostic-scans/nuclear-medicine/

Nuclear Medicine provides information about the function, rather than just the anatomy, of an organ.  It can often identify abnormalities at the onset of a disease, long before it shows on other diagnostic tests.

Nuclear Medicine, when used for diagnostic purposes, uses specific radiopharmaceuticals which target a particular area of the body, and which assists a consultant in diagnosing disease by evaluating the function of that area of the body.

The radiopharmaceutical is usually administered by an injection, but sometimes orally.  After a timed interval – which allows for the radiopharmaceutical to reach the area of interest, images are then acquired of the relevant region using a Gamma Camera.

The Gamma Camera forms the image by accumulating the detected energy emitted from the radioactive injection previously administered.  Imaging takes some time 30-90 minutes because the very sensitive camera is measuring very low levels of radiation, and the longer a patient lies under the camera, the better it is able to distinguish between organ activity and background radiation.

Our equipment

Our dual headed, state-of-the-art gamma cameras are able to perform all the latest scans.  They are set within their own suites, which include a dedicated patient WC, and a waiting room with flat-screen DVD entertainment for patients.

The equipment embodies all the recent advances in gamma camera technology:

• Dual-headed detectors mean that only a single pass is necessary, halving the imaging time.
• The gantry’s open design and ‘feet-first’ entry make the experience far more relaxed and comfortable.
• We can then fuse images from the gamma camera with images from either MR or CT so both functional and anatomical information can be seen in one image.

Nuclear Medicine is used in a number of specialities:

Cardiac:

• Coronary artery disease.
• Monitor bypass surgery.
• Prognosis of future coronary events.
• Assess cardiac toxicity (MUGA).

Endocrine studies:

• Thyroid scans and uptake.
• Parathyroid scans.
• Thyroid tumour activity.

Gastroenterology:

• Gastric emptying study.
• Gall bladder study in acute and chronic inflammation.

Neurology:

• Brain perfusion studies.
• Brain receptor studies for Parkinson Disease.

Oncology:

• Identify bone metastases.
• Tumour localisation and staging.
• Judge response to therapy.

Orthopaedics:

• Identify occult bone trauma.
• Diagnose osteomyelitis.
• Evaluate arthritic changes and extent.
• Identify bone infarcts in sickle cell disease.
• Investigation of lower back with tomographic studies of the spine.

Pulmonary:

• Diagnose pulmonary emboli
• Quantify lung ventilation:
  • ventilation;
  • perfusion.
• Quantify cardiac shunts.
• Trace clearance studies for interstial lung disease.

Renal:

• Detect urinary tract obstruction.
• Measure differential renal function.
• Detect renal scars.

For information on how to book an appointment please see the booking and payment page, or contact your nearest centre.