Nuclear Medicine

Although there are many types of diagnostic techniques available, nuclear medicine provides unique information about both the structure and the function of major organ systems within the body.

Using highly specialized radiosensitive cameras, this department diagnoses many forms of cancer, the spread of cancer, and other disorders such as bones stress fractures and heart disease.

The Nuclear Medicine Department consists of seven highly trained technologists utilizing specialized equipment. Test results are interpreted by Dr. Pawan Gupta.

Nuclear Medicine has two particularly sophisticated pieces of equipment called Three Headed Gamma Cameras. These cameras provide remarkably clear three dimensional images and are the only instruments of their type between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The high resolution SPECT camera (single photon emission computed tomography) provides three dimensional images of the body. The super computer connected to the camera is capable of 64 million instructions per second, allowing it to display the patient's internal organs as 3-D graphic images which can be rotated to any desired angle.

The high resolution imaging is a result of the three detector heads on the SPECT camera, which provide three times as much data as older, single headed designs. It produces images clear enough to use for brain scans. In addition to improved resolution of the images, this camera shortens the time a patient must remain motionless. This feature is beneficial to people who cannot lie still for extended periods of time due to physical or neurological problems.

The department also has a dedicated GE Advance PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scanner. The Nuclear Medicine Department is one of a limited number of sites on the West Coast that provides this type of innovative imaging. Positron Emission Tomography is a non invasive, diagnostic imaging technique for measuring the metabolic activity of cells in the human body. It is useful clinically for characterizing dementia, epilepsy and coronary artery disease as well as accurately staging various malignant tumors in patients.

PET is unique because it produces images of the body's basic biochemistry or function. Traditional diagnostic techniques, such as x-rays, CT scans or MRI, produce images of the body's anatomy or structure. The premise with these techniques is that the change in structure or anatomy that occurs with disease can be seen. Biochemical processes are also altered with disease and may occur before there is a change in gross anatomy. PET is an imaging technique that is used to visualize some of these processes that change. Even in diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, where there is no gross structural abnormality, PET is able to show a biochemical change. PET is a very useful addition to the clinician's diagnostic toolbox, providing significant advances to traditional diagnostic methods.

A PET Scan is a simple procedure. It involves the use of a small amount of a radioactive material, similar to what is used in other nuclear medicine procedures. The radioactivity is attached or tagged to a compound that is familiar to your body. Compounds similar to glucose, water, ammonia, and certain drugs may be used. The radioactive drug is administered to the patient, usually by injection and a specially designed PET scanner images how the body processes the drug. PET has been in clinical use since the early 1990's.