COMMON DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

NUCLEAR MEDICINE

Nuclear medicine is a term that includes both diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. As a diagnostic procedure, nuclear medicine involves the injection of radioactive compounds containing isotopes into the patient's body. A radioactive isotope consists of an unstable nuclear composition. The word nuclear itself may concern the patient regarding both long and short-term effects of such direct exposure to radioactive substances. However, the dosage of radioactive materials is quite small and comparable to that of a traditional x-ray exam. The life span of the materials used in nuclear radiology are so short that the radioactivity soon decays. Some types of diagnostic tests include:

How nuclear medical imaging works
These radioactive isotopes are "attracted" to specific organs, bones and tissues. For example, a certain isotope may be specific to the stomach while another isotope may only seek out the femur (the long bone between the knee and hip). Since concentration of the radioactive isotope is limited to a certain area, the amount of radioactive exposure to other areas in the body is minimized.

Once the radioactive isotope has selected the appropriate organ, tissue or bone, the isotope emits radiation that is then detected by a gamma camera. These special cameras, working in conjunction with computers, process the resulting radiation into information and an image of that area. Since nuclear medicine is considered to be relatively safe, children and pregnant women with a physician's consult can receive testing and treatment

What nuclear medicine looks at
Because the radioactive materials used in nuclear medicine are so specific to any area of the body, the information that results from the testing can prove to be instrumental in properly diagnosing and treating a disease. Unlike conventional radiological procedures which concentrate on structure and form, nuclear medicine evaluates the function or the performance of a specific area. Nuclear medical imaging is applicable to many parts of the body. Some of these areas include:

Did you know . . . ?
Background radiation from environmental sources is more common than most people are aware. Small amounts of radiation are emitted from familiar sources such as television sets and even the ground. Planets and stars also emit radiation.

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