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 Nuclear Medicine is a medical specialty
that uses safe, painless and cost effective techniques
both to image the body and treat diseases. It involves
the use of minute quantities of radioactive substances
combines with pharmaceuticals to study the functioning
of various organs and to some extent the structure of
the anatomy. It is a procedure to gather medical
information, that may be otherwise unavailable with the
other existing modalities which may require surgery.
This detection process allows to disease to be treated
early in its course, leading to highly successful
prognosis. In a Nuclear Medicine scan a very small
amount of material or radiopharmaceuticals which is
commonly called the/radiotracer (not the dye) is
injected either through the IV route or orally or by
inhalation into the body. They produce gamma ray
emission from the target organ, which is subsequently
scanned by a special type of camera called SPECT.
The other alternatives of utilizing these radioisotopes
are called invitro technique commonly designated as
Radioimmuno Assay. As per this method a patients blood
/plasma is collected in a vial from which the serum is
separated out and tracer antibody tagged with I-125 or
cobalt-57 is added to estimate the particular level of
hormone, some of the common day to day hormones are T3,
T4, TSH, FreeT3, FreeT4, and thyroid antibodies for
thyroid function test. Infertility hormones such as FSH,
LH, Prolactin, Progesterone, Oestradiol(E2),
Oestradiol(E3), Testosterone (Total & Free) tumor
markers such as CEA, AFP, PSA, CEA-125, CA-15.3,CA-19.9
etc.
Dynamic Nuclear Medicine Scans
Invivo Nuclear Medicine scans are HMPAO Brain SPECT,
static brain scan, thyroidscan. Lung perfuston /
ventilation scan, stress MUGA with NG intervention for
LVfunctons. Stress Thallium myocardial perfusion scan.
Gated SPECT tetrofosmin mvocardial scan, static and
dynamic liver scan. whole body bone scan. DTPA renogram
to assess kidney function, DMSA cortisol renal scan, Gl
bleeding detection scan, Hepathbiliary imaging scan,
Ga-67 whole body scan and 1-131
MIBG scan etc., are also performed routinely.
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Whole body scan using 99mTc - MDP radioisotope shows physiological
distribution of radiotracer throughout the
skeletal system. No localized hot or cold area
is seen which is suggestive of Normal Bone Scan.
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PICTURE
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Stress Thallium Myocardial
perfusion scan at stress as well as rest reveals
uniform stress perfusion pattern in all the
defined myocardial segment suggestive of uniform
& normal blood flow through the coronary
arteries without any evidence of Coronary Artery
Disease. |
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PICTURE |
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99mTc tetrofosmin myocardial
perfusion reveal dilated left ventricle wit
multiple areas of stress perfusion defects
involving anteroseptal & inferior segment of
myocardium suggestive of absence blood supply
through LAD &Right Coronary Artery with evidence
of reperfusion with resting reinjection of 99mTc
tetrofosmin involving whole of anteroseptal
segment with the absence of reperfusion
involving inferior segment that suggestive of
viable myocardium involving anteroseptal &
almost dead myocardium involving inferior
segment |
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PICTURE |
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(a-b). 99mTc DTPA dynamic
renal scintigraphy reveal normal sized both
kidneys with uniform cortical uptake. Good
excretion by both kidneys .Individual relative
functions are almost normal .No obstructive hold
up pattern suggestive of normal status of both
kidneys. |
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PICTURE |
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99mTc radiotracer thyroid scan
reveals normal sized both lobs with uniform
uptake pattern .Normal visualization of salivary
glands activity suggestive of Normal Thyroid
Scan. |
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PICTURE
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99mTc radioisotopes static
thyroid scan shows diffuse enlargement of both
lobe of thyroid with increased uptake pattern
.(13.6% in right lobe &13.6% in left lobe ). Non
visualization of salivary glands activity
suggestive Toxic Diffuse Goitre. |
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PICTURE
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(a) 99mTc Macro Aggregated
Albumin radioisotopes lungs perfusion scintigram
in various projection reveals multiple areas of
perfusion defect involving both lobe of lungs
region suggestive of bilateral embolism. |
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PICTURE |
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(b) After administration of
thromobolytic therapy the macro Aggregated
Albumin radioisotopes lungs perfusion scintigram
was repeated in the same patient reveals almost
re-establishment of normal blood flow pattern in
the form of reperfusion of both the segments of
lungs region suggestive of successful
Thromobolytic Therapy. |
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PICTURE |
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