What is a radioactive scan used for?

What is a radioactive scan used for?

A nuclear medicine scan uses small amounts of radiation to create pictures of tissues, bones, and organs inside the body. The radioactive material collects in certain areas of your body, and special cameras find the radiation and make images that help your medical team diagnose and treat cancer and other illnesses.

How long does a radionuclide scan take?

A nuclear scan usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes, plus the waiting time after the radioactive material is given. For bone scans, the material takes 2 to 3 hours to be absorbed.

How are radionuclide images produced?

Tracking the radionuclide Sometimes a computer analyzes the radiation to produce a series of 2-dimensional images that look like slices of the body. Usually, the tracer is injected in a vein, but for some tests, the tracer is swallowed, inhaled, or injected under the skin (subcutaneously) or into the joint.

How are radionuclides detected?

To perform radionuclide imaging, a radioactive material (radiopharmaceutical) is administered and the radiation emitted by the radiopharmaceutical detected by sensitive radiation detectors located outside of the patient being studied.

How much does a nuclear scan cost?

Results: The mean operating expense and charge per procedure were as follows: computed tomography (CT): $51 and $1565; x-ray and ultrasound: $55 and $410; nuclear medicine (NM): $135 and $1138; and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): $165 and $2048.

How much does a gallium scan cost?

How Much Does a Gallium Scan Cost? On MDsave, the cost of a Gallium Scan ranges from $993.00 to $2,617. Those on high deductible health plans or without insurance can save when they buy their procedure upfront through MDsave.

How do radionuclides harm the environment?

Radioactive decay arises because a nuclei is unstable. Accidental release of radionuclides along with their decay products end up naturally in soil, water and air ecosystems. Many of these radionuclides can be anthropogenic generated and accidentally released in the environment leading to associated health risks [1].

Which is more expensive ultrasound or MRI?

Cost and Availability. MRI requires more expensive and much larger machinery than ultrasound. As a result, ultrasound is available to more patients in more places throughout the country.

What does radionuclide imaging mean?

Radionuclide Imaging The production of an image obtained by cameras that detect the radioactive emissions of an injected radionuclide as it has distributed differentially throughout tissues in the body.

What is a radionuclide Ventilation Scan?

A ventilation-perfusion (VQ) scan is a nuclear medicine scan that uses radioactive material (radiopharmaceutical) to examine airflow (ventilation) and blood flow (perfusion) in the lungs. The aim of the scan is to look for evidence of any blood clot in the lungs, called pulmonary embolism (PE).

What is radionuclide medical imaging system?

A radionuclide scan is an imaging technique that uses a small dose of a radioactive chemical (isotope) called a tracer that can detect cancer, trauma, infection or other disorders. In a radionuclide scan, the tracer either is injected into a vein or swallowed.

Is radioisotope the same as a radionuclide?

A radioactive isotope, also known as a radioisotope, radionuclide, or radioactive nuclide, is any of several species of the same chemical element with different masses whose nuclei are unstable and dissipate excess energy by spontaneously emitting radiation in the form of alpha, beta, and gamma rays.