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What is nuclear medicine? |
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Nuclear medicine involves the use of small amounts of radioactive material
to help diagnose and treat a variety of diseases by studying the function of
the organ, tissue or bone.
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What is a nuclear medicine test? |
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Its the best early warning system for certain kinds of problems particularly
those that involve the heart, bones, brain, liver, lungs, gallbladder and thyroid.
A nuclear medicine test uses radiation and a Gamma Camera to create pictures of your
anatomy. But unlike X-rays, nuclear pictures (scans), show your doctor how your organs
work. The test is reliable, painless, low-risk, and the information it reveals can help
your doctor diagnose disease earlier for more effective treatment.
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How soon will my doctor receive the results from my test? |
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Referring physicians receive preliminary results the same day that the patient
had the study done. The written report will be faxed and mailed to the
referring physician 24 business hours after the study is performed.
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What does a Cardiac Scan (Thallium/Cardiolite) test involve? |
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This test is used to estimate the amount of blood reaching the heart muscle while at
rest and during exercise (walking on treadmill). A patient can have a cardiac scan
without walking on the treadmill if he / she has one of the following conditions: spinal
cord injury, obesity, arthritis, knee replacement, multiple sclerosis, or peripheral
vascular disease.
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Will I be radioactive after the Cardiac Scan? |
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Yes but only a little bit and for a very short period of time.
By the time your doctor has your results (about 24 hours), most of the
drugs used will be gone from your body.
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What is an echocardiogram? |
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An echocardiogram is a test that uses ultrasound waves to examine
the structure and function of the heart. An echocardiogram with Doppler is an audio
and visual representation of the blood flow inside the heart
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Is the echocardiogram safe? |
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The echocardiogram is very safe. There are no known risks from the ultrasound
waves. The echocardiogram is also painless and non-invasive although you may
feel slight discomfort when the transducer is held firmly against the chest.
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What is Bone densitometry (DEXA)? |
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A bone densitometry test is a very low dose X-ray test that measures the density
of the bones. It is used to diagnose osteopenia or osteoporosis.
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What is a multidetector CT scan? |
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This is the newest and fastest technology in computed tomography. The equipment can perform all types of studies in less than one minute using fast rotating Xray and multiple detectors. We can virtually study any point of the body detecting abnormalities as small as just a few millimeters. All of our studies are 3D reconstructed so images may be viewed in 3D as well.
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Are there any side effects to the CT with intravenous contrast (Iodine)? |
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The only common side effect of the intravenous contrast is a benign warm feeling that lasts only seconds. Unless you are allergic to Iodine there should be no additional side effects to the contrast. Regardless of this, a physician is always present as you are injected and you are asked to stay in the clinic for approximately 20 minutes after your study to monitor any possible reactions. In the event that you do develop a reaction to the contrast, the physician and technician are both trained in the best manner to treat the reaction and have a full supply of the necessary medications and equipment on hand. |
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What can I do if I need to have a CT with intravenous contrast (Iodine) but I am allergic to Iodine? |
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With the use of the newest contrast agents the possibility of allergic reaction is significantly reduced. Nevertheless, if you are allergic to Iodine you can still have a CT with contrast (Iodine) given some additional preparation. In order to prevent you allergic reaction your referring physician will prescribe certain medications like Prednisone, Benadryl, and Zantac to be taken starting 24 hours before the study. Under these circumstances you should have someone drive you to and from the clinic. If you are allergic to Iodine please make sure and advise both the clinic and your referring physician when you are scheduling your appointment. We have performed studies on patients with known Iodine allergies and none have had an allergic reaction with the appropriate preparation.
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