Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine studies use much smaller doses of radiation than traditional x-rays. The information obtained is unique and can be used to evaluate a specific organ function, evaluate for infection, or cancer among other disease processes.

• Cardiac rest and stress tests
• Bone scans (total body or 3 phase scans)
• Thyroid
• Parathyroid
• Hepatobiliary
• Liver/Spleen
• MUGA
• Spect scans

Total Body Bone Scan 
No preparation is required  Patient arrives early in the morning and receives and injection of radioisotope, which takes approximately 5 minutes. The patient returns 2-3 hours later for the actual scan, which takes approximately 1 hour. 

3 Phase Bone Scan 
No preparation is required.  Patient arrives early in the morning and receives an injection of radioisotope and an initial scan is done, which takes approximately 30 minutes. The patient returns 2-3 hours later for the next phase of scanning. 

Hepatobiliary Scan 
Nothing to eat or drink for 4 hours before the exam 

Liver/Spleen Scan 
No preparation required.  This exam cannot be performed with thyroid uptake

MUGA Scan 
No preparation is required. 

Parathyroid Scan
No preparation is required.  Patient arrives early in the morning for initial images. Patient returns for next series of images in 2-4 hours. Patient returns for final images in 4-6 hours. 

Thyroid Scan/Uptake Scan
Please consult with your referring physician or call us at 305-398-3575