Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine procedures are safe, effective and painless tools used to diagnose disease. During the procedure, patients ingest, inhale or are injected with a very small amount of radioactive material, called radiopharmaceuticals. Each radiopharmaceutical contains materials that mimic those naturally found in the body, as well as a small amount of the radioactive material. The radiopharmaceutical works its way into the system of the body or organ being tested, and can be seen using a “Gamma Camera,” which provides highly detailed images of the function of that system. Nuclear medicine exposes the patient to less radiation, and is much more sensitive than traditional X-ray procedures, which can mean earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment for many problems.