What is Nuclear Medicine, and how does it work?

Nuclear medicine leverages radioactive tracers to obtain diagnostic information.

In nuclear medicine, they use a radioactive material called a radiopharmaceutical or radiotracer, which is injected into the bloodstream, swallowed, or inhaled.

A radiotracer traces the paths of various biochemical molecules in our body and hence can obtain functional information about the body’s workings (i.e. physiology), accumulating in the area of interest, emitting a small amount of energy in the form of gamma rays, which are then detected to produce diagnostic images.

DIAGNOSTICS

What is PET-CT?

A PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan demonstrates the biological functions of the body before anatomical changes take place, and a CT (Computed Tomography) provides structural information, including size, shape, and location of anatomical features.

Together, a PET-CT scan allows physicians to more accurately diagnose and identify cancer, heart diseases, brain disorders, kidney disorders, and many more.

Key Points about a PET-CT scan:

• PET measures the metabolic activity of cells in body tissues and helps visualize the biochemical changes taking place in the body, such as heart muscle metabolism.
• PET helps diagnose neurological conditions (e.g., Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Epilepsy, and Stroke)
• Helps detect the spread of cancer to other parts of the body from the original cancer site, recurrence of tumours, and other biochemical changes

Patient Instructions:

Preparation for scan:

• Arrive at the scheduled time after 6 hours of fasting
• Avoid food during those 6 hours, only plain water is allowed
• Inform the staff about any ongoing medications and, if possible, take them at least 6 hours before the appointment
• Diabetic patients should inform the staff in advance and omit their morning dose of insulin or antidiabetic medication on the day of the scan
• Bring all relevant medical documents, including previous reports, films, CDs, and a recent blood serum creatinine report (within the last week)

In the Department:

• Hospital clothing will be provided
• A brief medical history will be taken, and prior reports will be reviewed
• After registration, you will be directed to a preparation area where a PET nurse/technologist will insert an intravenous (IV) line
• A small amount of radioactive PET medicine will be administered through the IV—this process is painless
• You may be asked to take an oral contrast solution before the study
• You will need to wait up to 60 minutes while the medicine circulates, medicine to circulate before undergoing the scan, which typically takes 15-30 minutes
• In case of delays or additional imaging requirements, the doctor or technologist will provide explanations

After your Scan

You can resume your normal activities without any restrictions