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Nuclear Medicine

​What is Nuclear Medicine?

Nuclear Medicine (NM) is the field of medical imaging that uses a small amount of radioactive medications known as radiopharmaceuticals to assess bodily functions, diagnose, or treat certain diseases. When the radioactive medication is injected into the body, the patient has to wait for the medication to travel to the specific part of the body, before imaging can take place. 

Lying down on the imaging couch, there will be two flat panels (gamma cameras) rotating around the patient to detect the radiation within the body part for producing images. The images created focuses on the physiological processes within the body, such as the rate of metabolism or level of various other chemical activities.


Is Nuclear Medicine Safe?
The radioactive medication injected contains a very small amount of radiation, with levels similar to that of CT scans. The medication will lose its radioactivity over time and be passed out from the body.

Pregnant women are advised to avoid NM scans due to potential risks of radiation exposure to the developing foetus. However, NM scans may be necessary in case of emergencies. 

Patients who have undergone NM scans are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids and to urinate frequently after. Additionally, they are advised to avoid close contact with babies, children, and pregnant women for about six hours after the procedure.


Examples of Nuclear Medicine Scans:
  • Bone scans can be used to detect and monitor abnormalities in the skeletal system.
  • Myocardial Perfusion Imaging is used to assess the function and blood flow of the heart at stress and rest conditions.