Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine uses small amounts of radioactive tracer to show how tissues and organs are functioning, not just how they look.
When to get help quickly: Most nuclear medicine scans are planned rather than urgent, but they can still be time-sensitive when they are guiding major treatment decisions.
Common symptoms
Nuclear medicine tests are usually ordered because of cancer questions, bone pain, thyroid problems, kidney drainage concerns, or other situations where doctors need functional information.
When imaging helps
It helps when organ function matters as much as structure, such as in bone scans, thyroid studies, renal scans, HIDA scans, and PET imaging.
What radiology does
It includes studies such as bone scans, thyroid scans, renal scans, and PET imaging.
What usually happens next
The results often help guide cancer staging, organ function decisions, or targeted follow-up testing and treatment.
Need this done?
See which centers in Lagos offer it.
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- What Nuclear Medicine Scans Actually ShowNuclear medicine looks less like ordinary imaging because it focuses on how tissue behaves, not just how it looks.
- Pregnancy and Medical Imaging: When Radiation Is a ConcernPregnancy does not make every scan unsafe. The type of imaging, body part, stage of pregnancy, and urgency determine how the examination is planned.
Related scan guides
- Nuclear Medicine: General FAQsNuclear medicine uses tiny amounts of radioactive tracer and special cameras to show how organs and tissues are working. It helps doctors answer questions that ordinary X-rays, ultrasound, CT, or MRI may not answer on their own.
- Bone ScanA bone scan is a nuclear medicine test that helps doctors look for changes in bone activity. It is often used for unexplained bone pain, infection, fractures, or to check whether cancer has spread to the bones.
- DMSA Renal ScanA DMSA renal scan is a specialized nuclear medicine test used to examine the physical structure and scarring of your kidneys. It is commonly ordered for children with recurrent urinary tract infections.