Overview of a Nuclear Scan Test

Nuclear medicine imaging is the process of developing images by identifying radiation from various parts of the body. During this test, we will generate pictures digitally on a computer. City Imaging has its own nuclear medicine physician who will interpret the results.

Note that during the process, we will inject radioactive tracers into your veins. These tracers have no side effects and won’t affect your overall health. The commonly used nuclear medicine scans are thyroid scans, HIDA scans, spleen and liver scans, etc.

Generally, X-Rays pass through soft tissues like intestines, blood vessels, etc. These tissues are difficult to visualise on a standard X-Ray scanner. However, a nuclear scan test allows the visualisation of tissue and organ structure. Therefore, doctors rely on nuclear imaging tests to study tissue and organ function.

Reasons to Undergo a Radionuclide Imaging Test

The primary objective of a radionuclide imaging test is to diagnose or treat certain types of illnesses. Some of the conditions recognised by a radionuclide imaging test at our centre include the following:

Various types of blood disorders
Gallbladder diseases
Thyroid illnesses
Problems associated with the lungs
Bone problems
Kidney disease
Cancer

At City Imaging, we conduct radionuclide imaging tests to treat health conditions. It also evaluates how the treatment is working. For instance, radioimmunotherapy is a combination of radiation and immunotherapy. For more details on nuclear scan cost, you can consult with us.

Why is a Radionuclide Imaging Test Different from Others?

A nuclear medicine imaging test identifies the proper functioning of the organs. On the contrary, other imaging methods analyse the anatomy of your organs. In simple words, a nuclear imaging test is more detailed and offers your doctors more significant insights. As a result, your doctor can implement a detailed diagnosis plan to treat you properly.

Learn about Nuclear Scan Cost at our Centre

Doctors rely on nuclear scans to see what’s happening at a cellular level. This test also allows your doctor to know how your body is functioning. A nuclear scan of the heart can identify the following:

The flow of the blood and its function
Coronary artery diseases
Analyse damage to the heart following severe attacks
The role of the heart before and after the chemotherapy

A nuclear medicine scan of the lungs can recognise the following:

Blood flow problems and breathing problems associated with the lungs.
Lungs function
Rejection of lungs after a transplant

Our centre is fully equipped to execute nuclear imaging tests for bones and the brain. Moreover, being the best nuclear imaging centre, we ensure that you encounter minimal discomfort during the procedure.

Preparing for a Nuclear Imaging Test

Usually, there are no general rules for preparing for a nuclear medicine test. Note that each type of nuclear imaging test has its own requirements. But if you’re undergoing a gastric emptying study, here are certain things you should expect.

You cannot eat or drink anything six hours prior to the test
You cannot consume caffeine-related products six hours prior to the test
Refrain from smoking prior to the test
You may have to stop consuming narcotic medicines three days prior to the test

If you have a nuclear medicine test at our clinic and need help, contact us at the earliest.

What to Expect during the Nuclear Medicine Test at our Nuclear Imaging Centre?

We strongly recommend against bringing valuables such as jewellery or credit cards to our centre during the test. Instead, we will ask you to change into a hospital gown.

City Imaging has a trained team of licensed professionals to execute this test. In addition, our board-certified nuclear radiologists and physicians will interpret the results. Here are certain things to expect during the nuclear medicine imaging test.

We will create an intravenous IV line in your arm
Our trained staff will connect you to an electrocardiogram machine with electrodes and blood pressure cuffs
You have to lie flat on the table in the procedure room
We will inject the radionucleotide into the IV to tag the red blood cells
After the tagging procedure, our professionals will return the blood to the vein via the IV
Our nuclear medicine imaging test involves tracing the red blood cells through the heart
During the test, you will lie under a gamma camera
Our technologists will capture images at a constant rate, and that’s why you should lie still
We will ask you to change positions during the nuclear medicine scan
After the completion of the scan, we will remove the IV channel

The nuclear imaging test at our centre typically takes 30-60 minutes. However, during bone scans, the procedure may take two to three hours.