Nuclear Medicine
Diagnosing & Treating Conditions With Radioactive Substances
Nuclear medicine refers to the use of radioactive isotope to diagnose and treat medical conditions. A nuclear isotope is introduced into a patient – by mouth or by injection – and acts as a “tracer” that helps produce imaging. Doctors are able to study these images and observe the functionality of an organ or system.
Only a trace amount of radioactive material must be ingested or injected into a patient in order to successfully explore the body part or organ being studied. Quite often, nuclear medicine exams are performed in conjunction with MRIs, X-rays, and CT scans to get a larger and more detailed picture of a patient’s condition.
West Jefferson Medical Center offers a complete range of nuclear medicine exams, including:
- Cardiac stress testing
- Sentinel lymph node injections
- Gastric emptying studies
- Bone scans
- Thyroid uptake/scans
- Biliary patency studies
We also offer brain SPECT imaging – the best imaging exam to differentiate between traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress syndrome – as well as Y-90 radioembolization treatment for inoperable malignant liver tumors.
All West Jefferson Medical Center Nuclear Medicine Technologists are licensed and certified.
Visit our nuclear medicine department for:
- 24/7 exam availability
- Regular department hours: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM
- Call coverage on weeknights: 4:30 PM - 8 AM
- Weekend call coverage from Friday at 4:30 PM until Monday at 8:00 AM
