Introduction

Nuclear medicine is a superspecialized area that uses very small amounts of radioactive materials, or radiopharmaceuticals, to examine organ function and structure. Nuclear medicine imaging is a combination of many different disciplines. These include chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer technology, and medicine. Nuclear medicine is often used to help diagnose and treat abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease, such as thyroid cancer.

Because X-rays pass through soft tissue, such as intestines, muscles, and blood vessels, these tissues are difficult to visualize on a standard X-ray, unless a contrast agent is used. This allows the tissue to be seen more clearly. Nuclear imaging enables visualization of organ and tissue structure as well as function. The extent to which a radiopharmaceutical is absorbed, or "taken up," by a particular organ or tissue may indicate the level of function of the organ or tissue being studied. Thus, diagnostic X-rays are used primarily to study anatomy. Nuclear imaging is used to study organ and tissue function.

 Scans are used to diagnose many medical conditions and diseases. Some of the more common tests include the following:

• Renal scans. These are used to examine the kidneys and to find any abnormalities. These include abnormal function or obstruction of the renal blood flow.

• Thyroid scans. These are used to evaluate thyroid function or to better evaluate a thyroid nodule or mass.

• Bone scans. These are used to evaluate any degenerative and/or arthritic changes in the joints, to find bone diseases and tumors, and/or to determine the cause of bone pain or inflammation.

• Gallium scans. These are used to diagnose active infectious and/or inflammatory diseases, tumors, and abscesses.

• Heart scans. These are used to identify abnormal blood flow to the heart, to determine the extent of the damage of the heart muscle after a heart attack, and/or to measure heart function.

• Brain scans. These are used to investigate problems within the brain and/or in the blood circulation to the brain.

• Breast scans. These are often used in conjunction with mammograms to locate cancerous tissue in the breast.

Services

Renal Scan

Thyroid Scan

Bone Scan

Iodine Therapy

OPD Services for Radio Iodine Ablation

Dr. Anu Bhattarai

Dr. Sagar Maharjan