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Article Excerpt
This patient education page provides general information concerning the radiologic sciences. The ASRT suggests that you consult your physician for specific information concerning your imaging exam and medical condition. Health care professionals may reproduce these pages for noncommercial educational purposes. Reproduction for other reasons is subject to ASRT approval.
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A nuclear medicine procedure is sometimes described as an "inside-out" x-ray because it records radiation emitting from the patient's body rather than radiation that is directed through the patient's body. Nuclear medicine procedures use small amounts of radioactive materials, called radiopharmaceuticals, that are attracted to specific organs, bones or tissues. As the radiopharmaceutical travels through the body, it produces radioactive emissions. A special type of camera detects these emissions in the organ, bone or tissue being imaged and then records the information on a computer screen or on film.
Nuclear medicine is unique because it shows how organs and tissues are working. For example, nuclear medicine allows physicians to see how a kidney is functioning, not just what it looks like. Most other diagnostic imaging tests, such as x-ray exams, reveal only anatomical structure.
There are more than 100 different nuclear medicine examinations to assess organ function. A thyroid uptake study shows how well the thyroid gland is working. A cardiac stress-rest test shows blood flow to the heart and helps your...
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