What is Nuclear Medicine?

Nuclear Medicine is a radiology procedure used to evaluate the function of a body system and detect disease.

During a nuclear medicine procedure, small amounts of radioactive material, or radiopharmaceuticals, are given via injection, inhalation or ingestion. Most studies use a short-lived isotope which quickly becomes non-radioactive.

The radiopharmaceuticals, called tracers, are attracted to specific parts of the body and release energy in the form of gamma rays. These rays are detected by a special camera and used to create images of the inside of your body.

Nuclear medicine imaging scan provides unique information that often cannot be obtained using other imaging procedures. It is a safe, non-invasive method of diagnosing injury or disease of the heart, bone, lungs and other organs. Nuclear Medicine may be able to detect conditions earlier than other tests, enabling more effective treatment.

At Envision, we use a hybrid scanner to conduct nuclear medicine and low-dose CT scans at the same time. This allows our radiologists to assess both structural and functional information in one study, greatly increasing accuracy and reducing scan times.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding you may not be able to have a nuclear medicine study. Please inform staff at the time of booking.

What types of Nuclear Medicine scans are offered at Envision?

Click on the body to discover what types of nuclear medicine scans are offered at Envision. You can find more information about each by following the link.

Bone Scan

• Bone Scan

Bone Scan

• Bone Scan

Gallium Scan

• Gallium Scan

Heart Scan

• Heart Scan

Lung Scan

• Lung Scan

Thyroid Scan

• Thyroid Scan