Nuclear medicine is a special branch of imaging that uses tiny amounts of radioactive substances called radiotracers to diagnose disease and evaluate functions within the body. Taken orally or by intravenous (IV) injection, radiotracers accumulate in targeted organs or tissue where they give off energy that can be captured by a gamma camera.
As the procedure starts, you will be given the radiotracer either by intravenous injection, in pill form or mixed with food. If given intravenously, you will feel a pinprick. The oral form has little or no taste.
For the scan, you will be asked to lie very still on a padded table while the scanner acquires the diagnostic images. The length of the imaging varies based on the test you are having.
Many people who suffer from claustrophobia are able to tolerate our scan due to the openness of our scanner. However, if you are concerned that this could be an issue, please contact your ordering physician to obtain medication to bring to your appointment.
