Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine is the branch of medicine that enables safe, painless and cost-effective imaging of any part of the body as well as the treatment of diseases. Unlike diagnostic radiology, which provides only anatomical information, nuclear medicine methods provide information about both the structure and the function of any organ. Nuclear medicine methods make it possible to diagnose, treat and monitor serious conditions. Diseases can usually be detected with nuclear medicine methods at an early stage, before they become detectable by other radiological methods and before clinical symptoms develop. This allows the disease to be treated more successfully before it progresses further. Very small amounts of radioactive material and radiopharmaceuticals are used for nuclear imaging. Pharmaceuticals are substances that, when administered to the body, bind specifically to a particular organ, bone or tissue. When bound to a radioactive substance, they are called radiopharmaceuticals; they travel to and bind to the organ to be imaged and, thanks to the radioactivity they carry, emit gamma rays that allow that organ to be imaged with gamma or PET cameras. These cameras are connected to computers, so that data and information about the imaged part of the body are obtained. The radiation dose the body receives during nuclear medicine procedures is approximately the same as with radiological X-ray diagnostic methods. The techniques frequently used in nuclear medicine are as follows. Planar imaging provides a two-dimensional image of the organ and information about its function. SPECT provides a three-dimensional image of the organ and information about its function. PET provides information about function in a specific organ, tumour or any metabolically active area while also providing three-dimensional imaging.
Although nuclear medicine is generally used for diagnostic purposes, it also plays an important role in the treatment of certain diseases. Nuclear isotopes are most commonly used in treatment for thyroid and prostate cancers, hyperthyroidism, polycythaemia vera (an abnormal increase in red blood cells) and bone cancer pain. In our Nuclear Medicine Department, diagnostic methods are performed for a wide range of diseases involving the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, pulmonary, endocrine, neurological, genitourinary and gastrointestinal systems. Scintigraphic scans are performed with a dual-head Philips gamma camera.

Nuclear Medicine Applications

In Endocrinology

• Thyroid Scintigraphy: Diagnosis and treatment follow-up of goitre, underactive or overactive thyroid gland, evaluation of nodules, post-operative follow-up.

• Parathyroid Scintigraphy: Investigation of the causes of elevated blood calcium, detection of lesions (adenoma).

In Infection

• Labelled White Blood Cell Study

• Labelled Immunoglobulins (Human Polyclonal Immunoglobulins)

Gastrointestinal System

• Liver-Spleen Scintigraphy: Performed to investigate abdominal pain, functional disorders, inflammatory conditions, post-operative complications and existing lesions.

• Gastroesophageal Reflux Scintigraphy

• Oesophageal Transit Study

• Gastric Emptying Study (liquid and solid)

• Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy: functional disorders; inflammatory conditions

• Gastrointestinal Bleeding Study

• Meckel's Diverticulum Scintigraphy

• Salivary Gland Scintigraphy

Genitourinary System

• Renal Cortical Scintigraphy (Static Renal Scintigraphy)

• Dynamic Renal Scintigraphy (Renogram)

• Diuretic Renal Scintigraphy (Diuretic Renogram)

• Captopril Renal Scintigraphy (Captopril Scintigraphy)

Cardiovascular System

• Myocardial Perfusion Scintigraphy: Determination of infarction and ischaemic areas, ejection fraction, myocardial viability, heart failure,

• MUGA: A test that detects global or regional wall motion abnormalities of the heart. It is recommended before and after starting treatments that may damage the heart (particularly performed in cancer patients after chemotherapy to examine the regional and total EF of the heart).

Musculoskeletal System

• Bone Scintigraphy:Investigation of the extent of primary or metastatic cancer spread to the bones or of the causes of pain, differential diagnosis of sports injuries, early detection of fractures

• Bone Marrow Scintigraphy

In the Pulmonary System

• Lung Perfusion Scintigraphy: Obstruction of blood flow and/or the airways, determination of probability in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. It is also performed to evaluate lung function before lung cancer surgery

• Lung Perfusion/Ventilation Scintigraphy: Obstruction of blood flow and/or the airways, determination of probability in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism

• Quantitative Lung Perfusion Scintigraphy: It is also performed to evaluate lung function before lung cancer surgery

In the Central Nervous System

• Brain Perfusion Scintigraphy (Perfusion SPECT): The most sensitive test for establishing a diagnosis even before clinical symptoms develop in epilepsy, tumours, circulatory insufficiency and especially in cases at risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Other Services

• Lacrimal Duct Scintigraphy: The most sensitive and painless test for diagnosing blockage of the tear ducts.

• Lymphoscintigraphy: Performed to investigate lymphatic drainage and the causes of blockage in the lymphatic vessels, and also to detect and mark the sentinel lymph node in diseases such as breast and prostate cancer.

• Testicular Scintigraphy: Assists in the differential diagnosis when evaluating a painful testicle.

• Breast cancer: Pre-operative lymphoscintigraphy that supports surgery by showing lymphatic drainage through an injection into the affected breast before the operation.

• Thallium-201 Whole-Body Scan.

• Whole-body tumour scan with Sesta MIBI

• Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Thyrotoxicosis

• Phosphorus-32 Therapy

• Radionuclide Synovectomy.

• Radionuclide therapy for pain palliation in patients with severe pain due to bone metastases