special subjects
Radionuclide Scanning
Uses of Radionuclide Scanning
Radionuclide scanning can be used to evaluate many parts of the body: thyroid gland, liver and gallbladder, lungs, urinary tract, bone, brain, and certain blood vessels. Because the body metabolizes many of the substances (such as iodine) used to label the radionuclide, radionuclide scanning can sometimes provide information about how a tissue is functioning, as well as what it looks like. Various radionuclides are used to image different parts of the body or types of disorders, as for the following: Radionuclide Imaging of the Heart is used to show blood flow through the arteries that carry blood to the heart. Thus, it can help doctors evaluate Because Bone scanning tracer collects in bone, it is used to image the skeleton. It is used to check for cancer that has spread (metastasized) to bone and for bone infections. Inflammation:Technetium or other radionuclides are used to label white blood cells, which gather at sites of inflammation or infection. This test helps doctors identify inflammation and infection. Bleeding:Technetium is used to label red blood cells. This test helps doctors locate bleeding in the intestine. Iminodiacetic acid is labeled. The liver handles this radionuclide as it would Overview of Gallbladder and Bile Duct Disorders . Thus, iminodiacetic acid collects where bile collects. This test is used to check for blockages in bile ducts, bile leaks, and gallbladder disorders. Radionuclide scanning is also used to check for certain cancers, such as lung cancer that has spread to the liver, Thyroid Cancer , and 