Nuclear medicine uses small amounts of radioactive tracer to show how tissues and organs are functioning, not just how they look.
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.
It helps when organ function matters as much as structure, such as in bone scans, thyroid studies, renal scans, HIDA scans, and PET imaging.
It includes studies such as bone scans, thyroid scans, renal scans, and PET imaging.
The results often help guide cancer staging, organ function decisions, or targeted follow-up testing and treatment.
This entry explains the procedure. Before you go, read the longer prep guide or find a centre that performs it.