METROPOLIS : IMAGING AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE Imaging and nuclear medicine imaging techniques have given a new dimension to the detection of many diseases and disorders They have brought to patients safe, painless, and cost-effective techniques to image the body and provide diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of disease. Nuclear Medicine Imaging is immensely helpful to a broad span of medical specialties, from pediatrics to cardiology to psychiatry. There are nearly one hundred different Nuclear Medicine Imaging procedures available for every major organ system. Applications for Nuclear Medicine §    Analyze kidney and spleen functioning §    Image blood flow and functioning of the heart §    Scan lungs for respiratory and blood-flow problems §    IIdentify blockages of the gallbladder §    Evaluate bones for fracture, infection, arthritis or tumor §    Determine the presence or spread of cancer §    Identify bleeding in the bowel §    Locate the presence of infection §    Measure thyroid functions to detect over-active or under-active thyroids §  Detect tumors, infection and other disorders by evaluating organ function Metropolis Health Services offers the latest in Nuclear Medicine technology to diagnose disease earlier and more accurately. These super-specialty departments have certain prerequisites, like hi-tech equipment and highly trained practitioners to ensure smooth running; and Metropolis has the best of both. Our laboratories have qualified and experienced teams who use cutting-edge technology to give you quality services. A bit more about Nuclear Medicine Imaging:  § What is nuclear medicine?   Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that uses safe, painless, and cost-effective techniques both to image the body and also to treat diseases. Most organ systems can be imaged and targeted by nuclear medicine techniques. §  What does it involve?   Nuclear Medicine examinations involve the injection of a small quantity of a radioactive material which is designed to specifically target a region of interest in the body. After a variable period of time, the radioactive substance accumulates in the target organ. By placing the region of interest under a gamma camera, the radioactivity emitted from the patient can be detected and a composite picture built up over time. §  How should I prepare for the procedure?   Usually, no special preparation is needed for a nuclear medicine examination. However, if the procedure involves evaluation of the stomach, you may have to skip the meal preceding the test. If the procedure involves evaluation of the kidneys, you will be required to drink plenty of water before the test. §  How different is it from X-rays?   Unlike conventional X-ray images, the spatial detail of nuclear medicine images is not great. Conversely, nuclear medicine is very sensitive in detecting abnormalities, sometimes long before X-rays can. Stress fractures, tumours or infections in bones can all be detected earlier than with X-rays. Nuclear medicine provides information on the function of an organ whereas conventional imaging techniques are generally more concerned with the structure of an organ. The radioactive materials used (or radiopharmaceuticals) have short half lives. This means that the radioactivity only persists for a short period of time. The radiation dose from most nuclear medicine procedures is small and is comparable to the dose from other X-ray imaging procedures.   Top