Nuclear Medicine

• Heart Tests: When Do You Need Them?

  Heart tests can help your doctor find out if you are at risk for a heart problem, if you have a heart problem, and what treatment you need. There are many heart tests. Most are noninvasive, which means that your doctor does not insert a device into your body for the test. Many of the tests provide still or moving...

• Thyroid Scan: Understanding the Test

  Learn what happens before and during a thyroid scan and what the test looks for.

• Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)

  Single photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a test that uses a special type of camera and a tracer (a radioactive substance in liquid form) to look at organs or bones in the body. During the test, the tracer is put into a vein (intravenous, or IV) in your arm. Sometimes it's taken by mouth or inhaled through...

• Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

  Positron emission tomography (PET) is a test that uses a special type of camera and a tracer (radioactive substance) to look at organs in the body. The tracer usually is a special form of a substance (such as glucose) that collects in cells that are...

• Bone Scan

  A bone scan is a test that can find damage to the bones, find cancer that has spread to the bones, and watch problems such as infection and trauma to the bones. A bone scan can often find a problem days to months earlier than a regular X-ray test. During a bone scan, a radioactive substance called a tracer is...

• Cardiac Blood Pool Scan

  A cardiac blood pool scan shows how well your heart is pumping blood to the rest of your body. During this test, a small amount of a radioactive substance called a tracer is injected into a vein. A gamma camera detects the radioactive material as it flows through the heart and lungs. The percentage of blood pumped...

• Gallium Scan

  A gallium scan is a nuclear medicine test that can check for problem areas in certain tissues in your body. A radioactive tracer (tracer) called gallium citrate is injected into a vein in your arm. It moves through your bloodstream and into certain tissues. These tissues include your bones, liver, and intestine, and...

• HIDA Scan

  Discusses nuclear scanning test done to evaluate gallbladder function. Covers how to prepare for test and how it is done, including use of radioactive tracer substance. Includes info on risks and what test results may mean.

• Liver and Spleen Scan

  Discusses nuclear scan to look at liver and spleen for problems. Explains how to prepare for the test, how it is done, and risks. Discusses results and what affects the tests. Looks at other tests that may be done.

• Lung Scan

  A lung scan is a type of nuclear scanning test. It is most often used to find a pulmonary embolism. This is a blood clot that prevents normal blood flow in the lung. Two types of lung scans are usually done together. They are: Ventilation scan. You inhale a radioactive tracer gas or mist. Pictures from this scan...

• Kidney Scan

  Discusses nuclear scanning test to check way kidney works or its shape and size. Also called a renal scan. Covers use to check for cancer or how transplanted kidney is working. Explains how camera scans for radiation to make pictures of kidney.

• Salivary Gland Scan

  A salivary gland scan uses a special camera and a tracer (radioactive chemical) to take pictures of the salivary glands. This can help your doctor find the cause of dry mouth ( xerostomia) or swelling in the salivary glands. During a salivary gland scan, the tracer liquid is put into a vein ( IV) in your arm. The...

• Testicular Scan

  A testicular scan uses a special camera to take pictures of the testicles after a radioactive tracer builds up in testicular tissues (nuclear medicine test). During a testicular scan, the tracer is injected into a vein in your arm. It travels through your blood to the testicles. Parts of the testicles where the...

• Thyroid Scan

  A thyroid scan uses a radioactive tracer and a special camera to measure how much tracer the thyroid gland absorbs from the blood. The tracer can be swallowed or can be injected into a vein. It travels through your body, giving off radiation signals. The camera "sees" the signals and can measure how much tracer the...

• Technetium-Labeled Red Blood Cell Bleeding Scan

  In a technetium-labeled red blood cell bleeding scan, blood is taken from you, and a small amount of radioactive material called technetium is added to the blood. The blood with the technetium is then injected back into your bloodstream. Red blood...

• Nuclear Medicine Scan

  Nuclear medicine scans use a special camera (gamma) to take pictures of tissues and organs in the body after a radioactive tracer (radionuclide or radioisotope) is put in a vein in the arm and is absorbed by the tissues and organs. The radioactive...