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| Educational
Descriptions of Major Modalities
Nuclear Medicine Technology - Nuclear Medicine scans
record images of selected organs and tissues following
the absorption of a small, safe amount of a radiotracer
in the body. The images are obtained by a special
gamma camera that detects radioactivity. Nuclear medicine
is unique in that it documents organ function and
structure. Nuclear medicine is used in the diagnosis,
management, treatment and prevention of serious disease.
The following types of studies are performed at Woodburn
Nuclear Medicine:
|
| Bone
SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) |
| This
nuclear medicine imaging technique utilizes a computer
to create multiple cross-sectional pictures or "slices"
of the area being studied. Bone SPECT studies are commonly
used to detect bone tumors, fractures and infections. |
| Brain/CNS |
| A
brain scan is performed to evaluate the brain or its
blood circulation to and from the brain (perfusion imaging).
Cisternography evaluates the flow of cerebral spinal
fluid around or in the brain. |
| Breast
|
| Nuclear
medicine breast imaging is combined with mammography
to better identify cancerous tissue. Nuclear imaging
is particularly useful when mammography results are
difficult to interpret because of dense breast tissue,
prior biopsy or surgery. |
| Cardiology
|
| These
scans are performed to evaluate blood flow to the heart
muscle, to measure heart function or to determine the
quality of the heart muscle following a heart attack. |
| Gastrointestinal
(Liver and Gallbladder) |
| Gastrointestinal
studies evaluate function and rule out inflammation,
infection, disease and tumors. |
| Genitourinary
(Ovarian Cancer/Colorectal/Prostate Imaging) |
| These
studies use monoclonal antibodies, which are special
disease-fighting substances. The antibodies combine
with the radiotracer to detect tumors in the ovaries,
colon or prostate. |
| Pulmonary
|
| Ventilation
and perfusion lung scans are performed to analyze the
flow of blood and movement of air into and out of the
lungs, as well as to determine the presence of blood
clots, infection or tumor |
| Therapeutic
Treatment - (Radioiodine Treatment) |
| Radioiodine
therapy is used for the treatment of an overactive thyroid
gland. The thyroid gland accumulates the iodine entering
your body in food and uses this iodine to perform its
normal functions, which is to make thyroid hormone.
The thyroid processes radioiodine in a similar manner.
The radiation emitted by the radioiodine decreases the
function of the thyroid cells and inhibits their ability
to grow, which is the desired medical effect. |
| Thyroid/Endocrine |
| Thyroid
uptake scans are performed to analyze the overall function
of the thyroid and structure of the gland. Thyroid imaging
is used to evaluate cancerous and non-cancerous conditions.
Radioiodine treatment for the thyroid is a common therapeutic
procedure. |
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