Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine is the branch of medicine in which radioactive materials (also called radioisotopes, radiopharmaceutical or radiotracer) are administered to patients for diagnosis and treatment of cancer and non-cancerous diseases.
- PET-CT Scan
- SPECT-CT Scan
- Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Hyperthyroidism
PET-CT
PET scan is a nuclear medicine imaging test in which small amount of liquid radioactive substance (called radiotracer) is injected into the body and is used to diagnose various diseases, mostly cancers and some other conditions.
The commonly used radiotracer in PET imaging is a radioactive glucose known as Fluoro-deoxyglucose (F-18 FDG). It is injected intravenously and goes to body cells, as well as the cancer cells. It emits rays, which are detected by PET scanner. Functional images of body organs are generated using PET-CT
scanner.
CT imaging uses X-ray equipment to create structural images of body. Then, these images are fused with PET functional images to get complete information of your body.
SPECT-CT
A SPECT scan is a nuclear imaging test where patient is injected radiotracers and images are taken to see how the radiotracer is taken up by cells of various organs of your body. The SPECT imaging provides information about the function of an organ, and CT images provide information about the structure of an organ. Then, the SPECT and CT images are combined to get complete
information.
SPECT-CT machine has 2 heads of gamma camera and donut shaped CT machine. Patient will pass through these while lying down on the bed. Exact duration of study depends on the type of test but on average 20 to 40 minutes time is required for the scan part. Patient must stay still throughout the scan in order to produce diagnostic images.
Radioactive Iodine Theraphy (RAI) for Hyperthyroidism
Radioactive Iodine therapy (RAI) is a treatment for patients suffering from hyperthyroidism, which is over functioning of thyroid gland.
Radioiodine therapy can be given to patients whom the anti-thyroid medication has failed to control the thyroid function, or hyperthyroidism recur after stopping anti-thyroid medication, or have side effects with anti-thyroid drugs. This therapy can also be given to patients having recurrence of hyperthyroidism after
surgery.