NUCLEAR MEDICINE
Nuclear Medicine is a type of diagnostic imaging that uses small amounts of radioactive substances, usually injected intravenously, to provide functional information about organs such bones, heart, kidney, lung, or thyroid. Images are taken on a gamma camera, which detects the radiation released from the body.
Nuclear medicine is commonly used to detect a variety of diseases including heart disease, stress fractures, bone or joint pain. Nuclear medicine provides functional information for many organs of the body. It can provide early detection of many diseases before these are detected by conventional radiology, allowing for earlier treatment and better prognosis.
At Medscan Merrylands we use Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT). This technology uses a nuclear medicine gamma camera with a very low dose CT scan. These further increases accuracy and precision of the diagnosis.
Some of the organ functions that can be assessed with Nuclear Medicine/ SPECT include:
• Differential kidney function, assessment of hydronephrosis/outflow renal obstruction
• Heart blood flow and function (Myocardial perfusion scan)
• Gallbladder function
• Bones for fractures, infection, arthritis, and tumor’s
• Screening for the presence or spread of cancer in various parts of the body skeleton
• Presence of active infection/inflammation
• Overactive thyroid, functional status of dominant thyroid nodules
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please advise our staff before the test is performed, as special precautions may have to be taken.
Please bring your referral (letter from your doctor) and your Medicare and/or Pension Health care card with you to your appointment. It is important to bring all previous imaging and reports relating to the region.
Bone Scan
This scan is a 2-part scan.
Part 1 involves an injection on a radioactive tracer and a 15min scan.
Part 2 is preformed 2-4hrs after the injection and can last up to 1 hour
No preparation is required for this test
Myocardial Perfusion Scan (MIBI Scan)
This scan is a 3-part scan, and you will be required to be at the practice for 4-5 hours.
Part 1 involves an injection on a radioactive tracer and a 15min scan, looking at your heart at rest.
Part 2 involves a stress test, which aims to exercise the heart encouraging more blood flow to the heart. This can be performed in 2 ways, either running on a treadmill or injection a pharmaceutical called adenosine.
Part 1 involves 30min scan to look at your heart after stressing.
1. You must stop all caffeine for 24hrs prior to the test (tea, coffee, herbal drinks, chocolate, energy drinks, soft drinks, decaf)
2. If you are diabetic:
a. Insulin dependent: take half the dose in the morning of your test with a light breakfast
b. Tablet Controlled: stop the morning of the test and bring the tablet with you to have during lunch
3. Take all other medications as normal
4. Have a light breakfast I the morning of the test
5. Optional: bring some lunch to have after the stress test
Thyroid Scan
This scan involves an injection on a radioactive tracer and a 15min scan.
Please advise staff prior to booking if:
1. You take thyroid medications (depending on the medication, it may be needed to stop these)
2. You take iodine supplements
3. You have had a CT contrast scan in the last 8 weeks
Parathyroid Scan
This scan is a 2 part-scan.
Part 1 involves an injection on a radioactive tracer and a 1-hour scan.
Part 2 is preformed 2-4hrs after the injection and can last up to 1 hour
Please advise staff prior to booking if:
1. You take thyroid medications (depending on the medication, it may be needed to stop these)
2. You take iodine supplements
3. You have had a CT contrast scan in the last 8 weeks
DTPA Renal Scan
This scan involves an injection on a radioactive tracer and a 1-hour scan.
1. You will be required to drink 1L of water 1hour before your appointment time
2. You can empty your bladder as normal.
Lung Scan
This scan involves an injection on a radioactive tracer and a 30min scan.
Please advise staff prior to booking if:
1. You have had this test before
2. You are taking blood thinning medication
If this is the first time doing this test and are not on blood thinning medication, you must wait until the Doctor has viewed your images and given your report.
Gated Heart Pool Scan
This scan involves 2 injections on a radioactive tracer and generally a 1-hour scan.
No preparation is required for this test
Hepatobiliary Scan
This scan involves an injection on a radioactive tracer and a 1.5-hour scan.
1. You will be required to fast for 5 hours prior to your scan (you can drink water).
2. Cease Opiate medications 8-hours before the test
Gastric Emptying Scan
This scan requires you to eat an egg sandwich with a radioactive tracer mixed with the egg prior to cooking. This scan will run for 2-hours.
1. You will be required to fast for 8 hours prior to your scan (you can drink water).
2. You will need to bring 1 raw egg, 2 slices of bread and 1 slice of cheese.
After your examination, the images from your study will be available on the Medscan Z-tech app. A report written by our radiologists, along with the images will be sent directly to your referring doctor. Medscan will store digital copies of all studies on our secure database for comparison with any future examinations. All images are available online with the Medscan Z-link app
1. What am I injected with?
In most studies, a radioactive tracer labelled with Technetium is injected into the bloodstream through your veins. This will emit gamma rays and will get picked up by the gamma camera to construct images.
2. Are there any side effects from the injection?
It is very rare to have an allergic reaction (and there is no cross-reaction between radioactive tracers and the intravenous contrast used for CT scans or angiograms), but a radiologist is present if a situation arises
3. Is it ok to be around children after my nuclear medicine exam?
The amount of radiation emitted from your body depends on the type of examination you are having. In general, this is quite small. However, you may prefer to minimize prolonged and close contact (particularly with small children and pregnant women) for up to 24 hours after tracer injection. If you are pregnant (or think you may be) or are breastfeeding, please inform our staff at the time of booking.
4. How long does the injection stay in my system?
The half-life of Technetium is 6 hours. 24 hours after injection, there is only a negligible amount of isotope remaining in your body.
5. Will I be able to drive after?
You should not feel any different or experience any drowsiness after the injection. Though, if you have had previous unpleasant experiences with needles or injections, please inform our technologist.