Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine performs non-invasive, imaging tests that can reveal important information about your health.

Nuclear Medicine uses short-lived radiopharmaceuticals which we call tracers. Our tracers do not make you feel different and are not dyes. These tracers are imaged by specialized gamma cameras to create images of the human body. The images show functional and metabolic activity within organs and lesions which help your doctors diagnose illness and guide you back to health.

Common Nuclear Medicine procedures we perform include:

• Nuclear Stress Tests: A cardiac scan uses a tracer that diffuses to your heart tissue based on coronary artery blood flow. Our patients either walk on a treadmill or receive a dilatory medicine to simulate physical exercise. We image your heart before and after the stress tests to evaluate for coronary blockages and asses cardiac function.

  

• Bone Scans: A bone scan uses a radioactive tracer that mimics calcium and takes up naturally in your bone tissue. After the tracer is injected, you will wait 3-4 hours to allow the tracer to tag to your bones. We perform four types of bone scans: 3-phase, limited, whole body and SPECT/CT 3D bone scans.

  

• HIDA Scans: HIDA scans or hepatobiliary scans, involve radioactive tracer that mimics bile and travels from your liver into your gallbladder and small intestine. After the tracer is injected into your body we image the tracer as it moves through your digestive system. HIDA scans help diagnose liver or gall bladder disease.

Our Staff

CVMC Nuclear Medicine Technologists have all attended formal study in Nuclear Medicine at an accredited university, and are NMTCB and/or AART(N) board certified.

Exam Results

All nuclear medicine scans will be interpreted by a radiologist or cardiologist and the report will be sent to your doctor’s office within a few days of the study.

Radiation Safety

Our patients receive the lowest possible dose needed to obtain the high-quality images needed for accurate diagnosis and treatment. As you hydrate the short-lived radiopharmaceuticals are naturally filtered from your body.