Nuclear Medicine
What to know
Nuclear medicine is a branch of diagnostic imaging that uses very small amounts of radioactive materials, or radiopharmaceuticals, to diagnose and sometimes treat disease. Radiopharmaceuticals are substances that are attracted to specific parts of the body. This specialty is unique in the fact that it records information regarding organ function and structure, as opposed to x-rays, which are based on anatomy. Nuclear medicine may be able to detect conditions earlier than other tests due to its functional basis, therefore permitting more effective treatment.
Recent advances in technology have resulted in the availability of nuclear medicine cameras (called SPECT/CT) that combine a state-of-the-art nuclear medicine camera with the ability to perform low dose CT. This allows fusion of structural and functional information in the one study and has greatly increased the diagnostic usefulness of this discipline. Body tissues affected by certain diseases, such as cancer absorb the tracer to varying degrees, then a special gamma camera is used to pick up the pattern of the radio activity to create pictures that show where the tracer travels and where it gathers.
Nuclear medicine may be able to detect conditions earlier than other tests due to its functional basis, therefore permitting more effective treatment. Advances in technology have resulted in the availability of nuclear medicine cameras (called SPECT/CT) that combine a state-of-the-art nuclear medicine camera with the ability to perform low dose CT. This allows fusion of structural and functional information in the one study and has greatly increased the diagnostic usefulness of this discipline.
The most common indications for a Nuclear Medicine scan are:
- Bone Scan – Assessment of fractures, arthritis, infection, cancer.
- Heart Scan – Evaluation of blood flow to the heart (perfusion) during a stress test and at rest.
- Thyroid Scan – Assessment of overall function and to diagnose toxic thyroid nodules.
- Parathyroid Scan – Detection of parathyroid adenomas.
- Gallium Scan – To confirm or rule out infection /inflammation.
- Lung Scan – Diagnosis of lung clots (pulmonary embolism).
- Gallbladder Scan – Used to assess gallbladder function in the setting of abdominal pain thought to be secondary to the gallbladder. Also, performed for pain following removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy).
- Kidney Scan – Evaluation of kidney function and/or drainage.
- Brain Scan – Evaluation in the setting of possible dementia.
- Sentinel Lymph Node Scan – To localise the sentinel lymph node prior to surgery, usually for breast cancer or melanoma patients.
Does any of the following apply to you? If so please contact us as soon as possible.
- You suspect or know that you may be pregnant
- You have ever experienced a severe reaction to a previous injection of contrast media
- You suffer from asthma or have kidney disease
- You are a diabetic
Do you require an interpreter?
Is the patient non-english speaking? If so, we can arrange for an interpreter to be present during the appointment. Please let us know as soon as possible so we can make the relevant arrangements.
Bone scan
No preparation is needed. The test is performed in two parts. The first part will take approximately 20 minutes. At this time the technologist will administer the tracer and some images may be taken. The second part of this test is usually performed 2-5 hours later and will take up to 1 ¼ hours.
Lung scan
No preparation is needed. The lung scan is divided into two parts. The ventilation study assesses the air flow into the lungs. The perfusion study assesses t blood flow to the lungs. The whole test will take 1 hour.
Thyroid scan
No preparation is needed, however:
• You must not have taken thyroxine tablets, kelp, or iodine (e.g. in multivitamin and mineral preparations), in the last 6 weeks
• You must not have had an x-ray test involving injections of dye (contrast media) in the last 6 weeks
• If you are currently taking thyroid medication, please contact the nuclear medicine staff prior to your test.
The test will take approximately 1 hour.
Parathyroid scan
- No preparation is needed, however please mention to the booking staff if you have taken thyroxine tablets, kelp, or iodine (e.g. in multivitamin and mineral preparations), in the last 6 weeks or have had an x-ray test involving injections of dye (contrast media) in the last 6 weeks
• Please indicate if you have taken thyroxine tablets, kelp, or iodine (e.g. in multivitamin and mineral preparations), in the last 6 weeks.
• You must not have had an x-ray test involving injections of dye (contrast media) in the last 6 weeks.
• Imaging is done in 2 parts; the second part is performed 3 hours following the first part.
Heart studies
• Do not eat, drink or smoke 4 hours before the test
• No tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, cola or other caffeine products 24 hours before
• Take your medication as usual on the morning of the test unless instructed not to do so by your doctor or the nuclear medicine department
• If you are scheduled for an exercise heart test, wear appropriate clothing for walking or running
• Leave any jewellery at home
• If you suffer from diabetes, please bring your blood glucose meter.
This test aims to assess the blood supply to the heart.
Kidney scans
Perth Radiological Clinic provides three different types of kidney studies:
Renograms (also called MAG3 or DTPA studies)
Please allow 1-2 hours for your appointment. No fasting is required. You will be asked to drink one litre of water an hour prior to your appointment.
DMSA scans
These scans will require two appointments on the same day. The second appointment will be 3-4 hours after your first appointment and will last for approximately one hour. No fasting is required. In between your first and second appointment, you will be asked to drink one litre of water. You will be able to leave the clinic between the two appointments.
Captopril studies
These scans will require two appointments over two days. Please allow 2 hours for each appointment. You will also be asked to drink one litre of water an hour prior to each appointment. For one of these appointments, you will be asked to fast for 4 hours prior as medication called Capoten will be given before the scan and your blood pressure will be monitored.
Sentinel Lymph Node Scan
This is usually performed in the setting of breast cancer or melanoma surgery. No preparation is needed. An injection will be administered to the affected site. Imaging will commence immediately after the injection on the affected side or site and will continue until the sentinel node appears on the scan. You may be positioned in several ways to get good images of the node. The position of the sentinel node will be marked on your skin with a surgical pen, so the surgeon knows the position of the node.
Gallium
An intravenous injection will be performed. You will be given a time to return, usually in 48 hours. The Gallium scan will take between 1 and 2 hours. Please remember to bring all previous x-rays and imaging investigations with you to your appointment.
After administration of the radiotracer the patient will need to wait a certain amount of time to allow the tracer to be taken up by the area of interest. For example; patients having a bone scan will need to wait two to three hours after administration of the tracer before they can be imaged. In some procedures, the tracer is taken up rapidly by the area of interest and imaging can be performed shortly after the injection. Our staff will advise you on your appointment times.
Nuclear medicine studies are safe. The amount of radioactive tracer administered is very low and is usually less than the dose received with a CT. Babies and young children routinely undergo nuclear medicine studies. The most common type of radioactive tracer used in nuclear medicine studies is Technetium-99m. This tracer has a short half-life and rapidly loses its radioactive properties. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns.
