Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine exams image body function rather than anatomy. This is done with the use of small amounts of radioactive materials, also know as tracers, each of which is designed to be attracted to specific organs or types of body tissue. Special cameras that can map the distribution of the radioactive tracer create images which are studied by radiologists.

INVISION radiologists perform nearly 70 types of nuclear medicine exams for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Nuclear medicine exams are among the safest available in diagnostic imaging. An estimated 10 to 12 million nuclear medicine exams are performed annually in the United States. Only small amounts of radioactive tracer are used. The tracer loses most of its radioactivity in hours or days and is quickly eliminated from the body.

This page contains the following information about nuclear medicine exams:

Reasons for Having a Nuclear Medicine Exam

Your physician may order a nuclear medicine exam to help detect a disorder or to treat a particular condition.

Since nuclear medicine evaluates the functioning of an organ or gland, it can help identify disease or abnormalities that can’t be definitively diagnosed by looking only at the organ or gland’s anatomy. Instead of just seeing if an organ “looks” right, the radiologist can find out if the organ is working properly.

Therapeutic nuclear medicine is used to treat various conditions, including hyperthyroidism and some types of cancer. This type of nuclear medicine works as a treatment by destroying tissue. The radioactive tracer is designed to be attracted to the specific cells that are causing the disease or condition. The radioactivity destroys those cells and consequently causes the gland or tumor to shrink. This shrinkage can alleviate the condition and/or its symptoms.

Risks Involved in This Exam

There is the risk of radiation exposure; however, it is generally less than the radiation received during an x-ray and is generally well below the level that causes adverse affects.

Conditions to Let Our Doctor Know About

In advance of your exam, let your INVISION radiologist or technologist know if any of the following circumstances apply to you:

Insurance Coverage

Nuclear medicine exams are usually covered by insurance when ordered by a physician. Check with your insurance carrier to be sure. Please bring your insurance card with you to your exam.

Exam Locations

Nuclear medicine procedures are performed at the following INVISION partner hospitals in the Denver, Colorado area:

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Preparation Guidelines

Different nuclear medicine exams have different preparations. Below are the preparations for three of the more common ones. Please contact the hospital at which you will have the exam if you have any questions or need information pertaining to a different nuclear medicine exam.

Bone Scans

  • Bring most current x-ray, MRI, or CT images and reports of area being scanned, if they weren’t done at INVISION.
  • Bring any previous bone scans, if they weren’t done at INVISION.

Hepatobiliary (HIDA) Scan

  • Do not eat or drink 4 hours prior to the exam.
  • Do not take prescription pain medicine 12 hours prior to the exam.
  • Eat a fatty meal (i.e. slice of cheese pizza or a burger) the night before the exam.

Thyroid Uptake & Thyroid Scan (RIAU)

  • Do not eat or drink after midnight, the day of the exam.
  • Stop taking thyroid hormones for at least 14 days prior to the exam. (Check with your physician to ensure it’s safe.)
  • Stop taking kelp supplements for 4 weeks prior to the exam.
  • Stop taking anti-thyroid medications 3 days prior to the exam. (Check with your physician to ensure it’s safe.)
  • Do not schedule this exam within 3 weeks after receiving an iodinated contrast study (such as CT or IVP).

What to Expect During Your Exam

The nuclear medicine technologist will explain the procedure, answer any questions you might have, and then give you a small amount of radioactive tracer, which is injected, swallowed, or inhaled. The imaging portion of your exam may begin immediately, or up to several hours later, depending on the kind of study you are having. If your exam is scheduled for later, you may leave the facility. Please find out when you should return and if you can eat and drink while you are gone.

When it is time for your images to be taken, the technologist will help position you on the exam table. A special camera will be positioned over the part of your body being studied to create a series of images. It is important to hold as still as possible while the images are being taken. The camera is open on both sides. For some exams the camera will be close to your face.

Below are a few specific procedures and what to expect if you are having one of them done. If you have questions regarding other procedures, please call 720-493-3305.

Bone Scans

Bone scans require two visits to our facility. Your first visit is for an injection and possibly a set of images. You will be asked to return for your second visit 2-3 hours later, depending on the type of bone scan you will be having. While you are gone, you will need to drink plenty of water or juice. When you return, you will lie on the imaging table while images are being taken. For limited and three phase bone scans, several different pictures are taken, each lasting 3-4 minutes. For whole body bone scans, images last about 15 minutes each. Your second visit will take 45 minutes for a limited or three phase scan, or 60 minutes for whole body bone scan.

Hepatobiliary (HIDA) Scan With and Without Ejection Fraction

When your exam starts, an IV will be placed in your arm.

If you are having a HIDA only, radioactive tracer will be injected into your IV and images will be taken every 5 minutes for an hour. After an hour, if needed, the images will be shown to the radiologist to see if additional images are necessary.

If you are having a HIDA with an ejection fraction, two substances will be injected into your IV line. The first is the radioactive tracer, which is followed by images every 15 minutes for 75 minutes. The second is an enzyme that will send a signal to your gallbladder to contract. Imaging will be continuous for 40 minutes during this part.

Your exam will take approximately two hours. Sometimes the radiologist will ask for delayed pictures, in which case you will have to return later for additional images. You may bring music and head phones to listen to during this exam if you would like.

Thyroid Uptake and Scan

Thyroid uptake and scan exams require two visits to our facility. During your first visit, you will take radioactive iodine capsules by mouth. You will then have to wait 1 hour before you eat or drink, but will be able to leave the facility immediately after the capsules are taken. You will return for your second visit six hours after ingestion of the capsules for images to be taken. The second visit will take about 45 minutes. You will lie on your back with the camera above you while your uptake (this checks the activity of your thyroid) and images are taken. Some patients will need to return the following morning for an additional uptake, which will take about 5 minutes.

Recovering from Your Exam

You can return to your normal activities immediately after your nuclear medicine exam.

Getting Your Exam Results

Trained and experienced radiologists interpret all exams, and then report the specific results to the physician who ordered your exam. In turn, your physician will pass the results onto you. Our radiologists and technologists will be happy to answer questions about the exam procedure itself; however, you will not receive your results from the technologist who performs your exam.

Additional Information

The information on this page was taken in part from some of the following web site. Visit this site for additional information on nuclear medicine.

Sources

Additional Sites

Nuclear medicine exams use small amounts of radioactive materials and a special camera to examine body function rather than anatomy. Bone scans are one of approximately 70 types of nuclear medicine exams performed by INVISION radiologists.