Nuclear medicine scans use radioactive isotopes to diagnose internal problems. They include bone scans, whole-body scans like PET, scans for specific tissues and glands, and scans to detect cancers. Patients ingest or inject a tracker for the machine to map bone density, organ thickness, and tumor size. Scans are usually done in hospitals or clinics and are relatively safe. They are not usually done without cause and only after a patient has experienced symptoms consistent with an expected diagnosis.
The field of nuclear medicine is expanding rapidly, and the number of scans and their general availability appear to be growing every year. There are many different types used at any given time, though some of the more popular options include bone scans; whole-body scans such as positron emission topography (PET); scans that focus on specific tissues and glands; and scans designed specifically to identify and detect cancers. In the broadest sense, the goal of all of these is to help doctors and other medical professionals see inside the body to get an accurate sense of problems, growths, or abnormalities in a way that is far less invasive than surgery, but far more accurate. compared to x-rays or most other imaging options. Patients usually have to ingest or inject a specialized tracker that scanning machines and related procedures will use to map things like bone density, organ thickness and tumor size, among other things. Some tests are highly specialized while others are more general. Much depends on the problem diagnosed and the technology available.
General understanding of the scanning process
Nuclear medicine scans typically use radioactive isotopes to diagnose internal problems. Most of the time, scans are done in hospitals or clinics and are usually an important part of the diagnosis. They are usually considered relatively safe, but all the same they are not usually done without cause, and usually only after a patient has experienced a number of symptoms consistent with an expected diagnosis.
The patient usually has to remain still for a period of minutes or hours while the scanning device measures how the body processes the isotope. The results can be immediate, but in other cases they may take some time to process. In some cases patients need to make a number of tracker-related appointments before the actual scan even takes place.
Bone scans
As the name suggests, bone scans produce skeletal images that allow medical professionals to evaluate how bones are growing and to see any tumors or lesions that are forming on them. Radioactive tracers are usually injected deep into the veins before these tests begin and are usually programmed to light up or “stick” to any problem spots on the bones. The test itself is painless and within a few hours the tracers will naturally leave the body, usually in the urine.
Positron emission tomography
One of the most common reasons for any nuclear medicine scan is to detect the presence of tumors, abnormal masses that often indicate cancer or other problems. Doctors may suspect tumors based on a patient’s symptoms, but these growths can be very difficult to locate without some sort of imaging tool. In positron emission topography (PET) scanning, the tracers attach themselves not to problem areas of bone but to irregular growths anywhere on the body. Like bone scans, these are usually whole-body scans that look for tumors and cysts wherever they occur. The machine involved in this type of test tends to be somewhat cavernous and patients usually have to lie on their back and be inserted into or completely covered by the scanning device.
Another option in this category is a test called a metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scan. It uses an isotope to identify and bind to MIBG, which is a growth hormone in most cancers. Illuminate these growths on outcomes, making them much easier to spot and measure.
Fabric specific scans
Other types of scans look for problems within the tissue material. The soft tissues of the body are often home to initial infections and can also support tumors and other growths. Scans intended to measure tissue density and abnormality are normally called gallium scans and usually involve specialized cameras that have been programmed to detect areas of the body that are emitting higher than normal radioactivity a day or two after it has been placed a tracer.
Detection of glandular dysfunction
Nuclear medicine scans can also detect the presence of glandular dysfunction, an example is hyperthyroidism. To test for this disorder, a patient swallows a pill containing a small amount of radioactive iodine and returns for testing several hours later. Instead of lying down for an hour or more, a technician simply places a sensor pad against your neck for about four minutes. The plate records the amount of radioactive iodine that the thyroid has absorbed since ingestion. Levels above normal indicate hyperthyroidism.
Previous scans
One of the oldest and “classic” scans is the cholescintigraphy, also known as a hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan. In a healthy patient, the radioactive isotope travels through the liver and into the gallbladder within one hour of being injected. If the isotope does not appear in the gallbladder, it indicates a blockage of the duct between the liver and the gallbladder. Due to advances in ultrasound technology, the number of HIDA scanning procedures performed in developed countries is decreasing; when available, ultrasonography is often the preferred method for this type of diagnosis. Ultrasound is less invasive as it does not require an injection, is usually faster, and is almost always less expensive as well.
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