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Molecular Imaging

Molecular imaging uses very small amounts of radioactive materials inside the body to create an image of organ function and structure for diagnostic and treatment purposes. This imaging allows disease to be detected very early, often before the disease can be detected by other diagnostic tests and, in some cases, before symptoms ever occur. The biggest advantage of such early detection is to allow earlier treatment which gives the best chance for a more successful outcome. An additional advantage is the ability to visualize, locate, and study malfunctioning and diseased tissue within the body often avoiding other invasive surgical procedures.

Molecular imaging services include:

Definition

A bone scan is a nuclear imaging test that helps track or diagnose several types of bone disease. If you have unexplained skeletal pain, bone loss, bone infection or a bone injury that cannot be detected on a standard X-ray, your doctor may want you to complete a bone scan. A bone scan is also important in cancer care and treatment, as it will assist in determining if cancer has spread (metastasized) to the bone from a tumor that started in a different area, such as the breast or prostate. A bone scan can also detect abnormalities related to leukemia and lymphoma.

What to Expect

First, you will receive an injection of tracers into a vein in your arm. Images may be taken immediately after the injection or several hours later, depending on the reason your doctor ordered the exam. Most of our patients are asked to return three hours after injection for imaging, or after enough time has passed to allow the tracers to circulate through your bloodstream and be absorbed by your bones. During the scan, you will be asked to lie still on a padded table. Our technologist will take special care to make sure you are as comfortable as possible during the scan. An arm-like device will move back and forth over your body to take pictures of the tracers using a sensitive camera. The entire scan can take 60 minutes and is virtually painless. After the scan, you may be asked to drink extra water to remove unabsorbed radioactive materials from your system. Once inside your body, the tracers are not active for long. You should feel no side effects after the procedure, and no special care is necessary.

How to Prepare

Tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or think you might be pregnant. Bone scans aren’t usually performed on pregnant women or nursing mothers because of concerns about radiation exposure to the baby. Otherwise, no preparation is necessary.

Results

Our specially trained radiologists will interpret your scan for evidence of abnormal bone metabolism. These show up as darker “hot spots” and lighter “cold spots” where the tracers have or haven’t accumulated. If you have a bone scan that shows hot spots, more testing may be needed to determine the cause, since bone scans are not able to determine the cause of the hot spot. To focus on specific areas of bone, your doctor might order additional imaging called single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT).

Our Physicians

Chetan Rajadhyaksha, MD

Chairman, Department of Radiology

Chief, Section of Nuclear Imaging

  • Radiology
  • Nuclear Imaging

William F Burke III, MD

Chief, Section of Thoracic Imaging

Vice Chairman, Department of Radiology

Program Director, Radiology Residency Program

  • Radiology

Vinay Bhatia, MD

Section Chief Neuroradiology

Director of MRI Services

  • Neuroscience
  • Neuroradiology
  • Radiology

Stuart S Kaplan, MD

Chief, Section of Breast Imaging, Breast Ultrasound and MRI, and Breast Interventional Procedures

  • Cancer
  • Oncology
  • Radiology
  • Breast Imaging

Ivy Salom, MD

Chief, Section of Ultrasound Imaging

  • Radiology
  • Oncology
  • Breast Imaging
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