Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine is a branch of radiology that is safe, painless and cost-effective. It offers a way to gather medical information that would otherwise be unavailable, require surgery or necessitate more expensive diagnostic tests. Nuclear medicine imaging uses very small amounts of radioactive materials (radiopharmaceuticals) to diagnose and treat disease. The radiopharmaceuticals are detected by special types of cameras that work with computers to provide very precise pictures targeting specific areas of the body that providers wish to examine. The amount of radiation in a typical nuclear medicine procedure is comparable with that received during a diagnostic x-ray. Nuclear medicine procedures are used in many medical specialties, from pediatrics to cardiology to orthopedics. New and innovative nuclear medicine procedures that target and pinpoint molecular levels within the body are revolutionizing treatments for a range of diseases and conditions.