Services | Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine is a specialty area within Diagnostic Imaging.
Nuclear Medicine uses small amounts of radioactive substances known as tracers that localise in specific organs of body systems. The radioactive tracers are designed specifically to target a particular organ (bone, lung, liver, heart etc) so that organ can be imaged.

The tracer collects in the organ over time and gives off energy as gamma rays. The nuclear medicine gamma camera detects the rays and works with a computer to produce images and measurements of organs and tissues.

Why is the examination required?

Nuclear medicine provides unique functional and physiological information that often cannot be gained from other imaging examinations. This information may be useful for yur doctor when planning your health care.

How is the procedure performed?

The radioactive tracer is usually given via an intravenous injection (similar to a blood test), or may be given orally or inhaled for some studies.

Depending on the study being performed, it may take several seconds to several days for the tracer to travel through the body and accumulate in the organ being studied. Because of the variation, the imaging may commence immediately after administration of the tracer or delayed imaging may be required.
The timing of the examination will be discussed with you prior to the examination.

How is the scanning done?

For some procedures, you may have to change into a patient gown. The imaging is usually performed with the patient lying flat o the examination table. A gamma camera will pass over the organ of interest and acquire images.

The time required for imaging will depend on the study being performed. Most examinations require between 20 minutes and 40 minutes of imaging, however some scans may require 1.5 hours of imaging.
It is important that you remain still for the imaging as movement can degrade the quality of the study.

Who performs the scan?

The nuclear medicine procedure will be performed by a specially trained nuclear medicine technologist, who is accredited and licensed by the relevant nuclear medicine societies and government bodies.

What about the radiation dose?

The radiation dose received by a patient undergoing a diagnostic nuclear medicine examination will vary depending of the type of study being performed. The nuclear medicine specialist will select the lowest appropriate dose. In most cases the radiation dose is less than that received from a CT scan and is similar to what is received from a few months of background radiation from the environment.

The benefit of nuclear medicine is that the radiation in the body reduces fairly quickly. The radiation is excreted by the body, usually through the digestive or urinary system, as well as ‘decaying' or becoming less active as part of its natural course.

Nuclear medicine has been performed for more that 30 years and there are no known long-term adverse effects from these low-dose studies.

Can you have a reaction to the radioactive tracer?

There are very few published accounts of reactions to diagnostic radioactive tracers. Therefore the risk of a reaction to the administration of the tracer is very low.

Is any special preparation required?

For the majority of examinations, no preparation is required. If preparation is required, this will be discussed with you at the time of booking.

Nuclear Medicine Examinations are performed at the following South Coast Radiology locations .

John Flynn Private Hospital
Southport
Pindara Private Hosp

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