Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine procedures use small amounts of radioactive materials, called radiopharmaceuticals, to create images of anatomy. Radiopharmaceuticals are substances that are attracted to specific organs, bones or tissues. They are introduced into the patient’s body by injection, swallowing or inhalation. As the radiopharmaceutical travels through the body, it produces radioactive emissions. A special type of camera detects these emissions in the organ, bone or tissue being imaged and then records the information on a computer screen or on film.

After the examination, nuclear medicine scans will be reviewed by a radiologist, a physician who specializes in the interpretation of diagnostic medical images. A report of the radiologist’s findings will be provided to the attending physician and/or nursing facility.