Welcome to Nuclear MD.com
Nuclear Medicine is a vital medical
specialty that utilizes safe, painless, and
cost-effective techniques both to image the
body and treat disease. Nuclear medicine
imaging is unique in that it documents
organ function and structure, in contrast to
diagnostic radiology, which is based upon
anatomy. It is a way to gather medical
information that may otherwise be
unavailable, require surgery, or necessitate
more expensive diagnostic tests.
specialty that utilizes safe, painless, and
cost-effective techniques both to image the
body and treat disease. Nuclear medicine
imaging is unique in that it documents
organ function and structure, in contrast to
diagnostic radiology, which is based upon
anatomy. It is a way to gather medical
information that may otherwise be
unavailable, require surgery, or necessitate
more expensive diagnostic tests.
" you are scintillating"
As an integral part of patient care, nuclear medicine is used in the
diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of serious disease.
Nuclear medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities very
early in the progression of a disease – long before some medical
problems are apparent with other diagnostic tests. This early detection
allows a disease to be treated early in its course when there may be a
more successful prognosis.
Nuclear medicine uses very small amounts of radioactive materials or
radio pharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat various diseases. Radio
pharmaceuticals are substances that are attracted to specific organs,
bones, or tissues. The radio pharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine
emit gamma rays that can be detected externally by special types of
cameras: gamma or PET cameras. These cameras work in conjunction
with computers to form images that provide data and information about
the area of body being imaged. The amount of radiation from a nuclear
medicine procedure is comparable to that received during a diagnostic
x-ray.
Nuclear medicine began approximately 50 years ago and has now
evolved into a major medical specialty for both diagnosis and therapy
of serious disease. More than 3,900 hospital-based nuclear medicine
departments in the United States perform over 10 million nuclear
imaging and therapeutic procedures each year. Despite its integral role
in patient care, nuclear medicine is still often confused with other
imaging procedures, including general radiology, CT and MRI.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography) is rapidly becoming a major
diagnostic imaging modality used predominantly in determining the
presence and severity of cancers, neurological conditions, and
cardiovascular disease. It is currently the most effective way to check
for cancer recurrences. Studies demonstrate that PET offers significant
advantages over other forms of imaging such as CT or MRI scans in
diagnosing disease.
PET is considered particularly effective in identifying whether cancer
is present or not, if it has spread, if it is responding to treatment, and if
a person is cancer free after treatment. Cancers for which PET is
considered particularly effective include lung, head and neck,
colorectal, esophageal, lymphoma, melanoma, breast, thyroid, cervical,
pancreatic, and brain, as well as other less frequently occurring cancers.
diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of serious disease.
Nuclear medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities very
early in the progression of a disease – long before some medical
problems are apparent with other diagnostic tests. This early detection
allows a disease to be treated early in its course when there may be a
more successful prognosis.
Nuclear medicine uses very small amounts of radioactive materials or
radio pharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat various diseases. Radio
pharmaceuticals are substances that are attracted to specific organs,
bones, or tissues. The radio pharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine
emit gamma rays that can be detected externally by special types of
cameras: gamma or PET cameras. These cameras work in conjunction
with computers to form images that provide data and information about
the area of body being imaged. The amount of radiation from a nuclear
medicine procedure is comparable to that received during a diagnostic
x-ray.
Nuclear medicine began approximately 50 years ago and has now
evolved into a major medical specialty for both diagnosis and therapy
of serious disease. More than 3,900 hospital-based nuclear medicine
departments in the United States perform over 10 million nuclear
imaging and therapeutic procedures each year. Despite its integral role
in patient care, nuclear medicine is still often confused with other
imaging procedures, including general radiology, CT and MRI.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography) is rapidly becoming a major
diagnostic imaging modality used predominantly in determining the
presence and severity of cancers, neurological conditions, and
cardiovascular disease. It is currently the most effective way to check
for cancer recurrences. Studies demonstrate that PET offers significant
advantages over other forms of imaging such as CT or MRI scans in
diagnosing disease.
PET is considered particularly effective in identifying whether cancer
is present or not, if it has spread, if it is responding to treatment, and if
a person is cancer free after treatment. Cancers for which PET is
considered particularly effective include lung, head and neck,
colorectal, esophageal, lymphoma, melanoma, breast, thyroid, cervical,
pancreatic, and brain, as well as other less frequently occurring cancers.