Nuclear
Medicine
The Nuclear Medicine department performs a variety of imaging
procedures. In this setting a small amount of weakly radioactive
material is used as a type of contrast material to image the body
part of interest. A radiation detection camera, called a gamma
camera, is used to capture the image.
One type of lung scan, called a ventilation-perfusion scan, is
performed in this fashion. In this case, one type of contrast
material is injected into the vein and a different type of contrast
material is given by inhalation. Much can be learned with this test
about the flow of both blood and air to the lung. This test is
commonly used to look for blood clots in the lung.
Nuclear medicine tests are usually tolerated very well with
minimal discomfort to patients.
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Nuclear Medicine 
