Nuclear Medicine at ZP
Zwanger-Pesiri's nuclear medicine department combines the latest advances in technology with highly trained radiologists, cardiologists, nurses and nuclear technologists. We have a long-standing reputation for excellence in diagnostic nuclear imaging on Long Island, and offer this test in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.
At ZP, we offer Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging, which uses special cameras to visualize the functioning of internal organs, as well as the body's anatomy through 3-dimensional images.
What is Nuclear Medicine?
Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that is used to diagnose and treat diseases in a safe and painless way. It is called nuclear medicine because it refers to medicine (a pharmaceutical) that is attached to a small amount of a radioactive substance (a radioisotope). The radiopharmaceutical, together with special imaging technology, enables doctors to determine the cause of a medical problem based on the structure and function, not just the anatomy of organs, tissues and bones.
Nuclear diagnostic procedures help doctors gather specific medical information about a patient that might otherwise be unavailable, require surgery or possibly require invasive and expensive diagnostic tests. The benefit of identifying abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease makes nuclear medicine an invaluable tool in the diagnostic process.
Nuclear medicine can be used to detect and evaluate a number of disorders including tumors, irregular or inadequate blood flow, and inadequate functioning of organs like the thyroid, heart, lungs, gallbladder, liver and kidneys.
How does Nuclear Medicine work?
During a nuclear medicine scan, a small amount of a radioactive material or radiopharmaceutical is introduced into your body either intravenously or orally and is given time to be absorbed by the cells. A specially developed camera records images and measures the accumulation of the radiopharmaceutical. Higher chemical activity can correspond to areas of disease or “hot spots” on the study. For some studies, the activity of the radiopharmaceutical can indicate how well an organ is functioning.
How do I prepare for a Nuclear Medicine scan?
Schedule your appointment by calling 631-225-7200, and provide us with your email address. We will send you personalized forms with your information already filled in. You will only have to update or add any missing information. If your email address is not provided, you can still save time by downloading the nuclear medicine forms and completing them prior to arriving at the office.
The specific test that you are having will determine the preparation required. Be sure to review the instructions given by the Zwanger-Pesiri representative, as well as your doctor, when scheduling your appointment. Some procedures require that you fast while others require no special preparation at all.
Bring with you to the appointment:
- Prescription from your doctor.
- Current insurance card.
- Authorization number from your insurance carrier.
- Any forms you completed at home.
- Credit card or cash for your insurance co-pay.
- Any relevant studies from another facility. We like to compare the new nuclear medicine scan with any previous studies to assist in the diagnostic process.
- Picture identification.
Plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time.
What happens during the test?
Any metal near the area being scanned must be removed including jewelry, eyeglasses, belt buckles and any clothing with metal zippers or buttons. Metal interferes with the quality and accuracy of the images captured during the scan. You may be asked to change into a gown.
For most exams, the radiopharmaceutical will be administered through an I.V. Some exams require it to be taken orally. The radiotracer must circulate through your body for a certain amount of time, depending on the type of study. This can take anywhere from half an hour to several hours. The radiopharmaceutical is absorbed by both normal and abnormal tissue, according to their metabolic rate.
You will then be brought into the exam room and asked to lie down on the scanning table. A specialized nuclear medicine camera will slowly move over the area of your body being studied and will never touch you. Be sure to remain as still as possible to ensure the best possible images. Depending on the specific study, your scan may take from 30 minutes up to two hours.
Once all of the images have been recorded, the nuclear camera will move away and the technologist will return to assist you off the table.
Increase your fluid intake for the next 24 hours to help flush the radiopharmaceutical out of your system. Depending on the type of exam, you may be required to stop breast feeding or limit your contact with pregnant women and small children.
What will I do when I arrive?
Present your prescription, insurance card and completed forms at the front desk. If any additional forms are required, they will be given to you at this time.
Be sure to inform the receptionist and technologist if you:
- Are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or are breast feeding.
- Have allergies.
- Are currently taking any medications.
- Have any metal or a medical device in your body.
- Have asthma.
- Have had any recent surgery or trauma.
- Have any relevant studies from another facility. We like to compare the new nuclear medicine study with any previous studies to assist in the diagnostic process.
When can I expect the results?
One of our board certified nuclear medicine radiologists interprets your images, compares them to any previous studies and dictates a report which is transcribed, proofread and signed.
The report is then faxed and mailed to your referring doctor within one or two days.
Your doctor will read the report and review the findings with you.
All of your signed reports and images are available to your referring doctor on our physician’s web portal.
Cardiac Stress Test
A cardiac stress test (myocardial perfusion study) helps measure blood flow to your heart muscle and evaluates heart function at rest and during exercise.
An I.V. will be started in your arm and a small dose of radioactive material, usually thallium, will be injected into your bloodstream and given time to circulate to your heart. You will then be asked to lie still on a scanning table and a specialized nuclear medicine camera will be positioned close to your chest to take pictures of your heart at rest.
Then you will begin walking on a treadmill so that we can monitor your heart's function during stress. After your heart has reached a set target, you will receive another injection of the radioactive material to capture pictures of your heart during stress.
Lastly, you will lie back down on the scanning table to be imaged by the camera again. This camera is used to detect areas in your heart that show low blood flow and damaged heart muscle. After you stop exercising, you will continue to be monitored until your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal.
Your physician may recommend a cardiac stress test to determine if coronary artery disease is present or to see if you have an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia). It may also be used to guide your treatment if you have already been diagnosed with a heart condition.
MUGA Scan
A MUGA (Multi Gated Acquisition) scan is a nuclear medicine test that evaluates the function of the left ventricle of the heart. It is also called radionuclide angiography or gated blood pool imaging.
During a MUGA scan, a small amount of a tagging agent is injected into a vein in your arm through an I.V., which attaches to your red blood cells. After waiting 25 minutes for the tagged red blood cells to distribute evenly, we inject a small amount of a radiotracer which will assist in the imaging process. Several electrodes are then placed on your chest and connected to an electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the electrical activity of your heart. You are then placed on a scanning table and a special gamma camera takes pictures of your heart at precise moments during the heart beat cycle (gating).
A MUGA scan is used primarily to measure your heart's ability to pump blood (ejection fraction). For patients undergoing chemotherapy, this scan can also be used to monitor the heart during therapy.
Nuclear Bone Scan
A bone scan is a nuclear imaging test that diagnoses and tracks several types of bone disease. It is also an important tool for detecting cancer that has metastasized (spread) to the bone from a tumor that started in a different organ. This test can also detect abnormalities related to lymphoma and leukemia.
A small amount of a radiotracer is used during the procedure to assist in the examination of the bones. The tracer will collect within the bone tissue at spots of abnormal physical and chemical change called "hot spots," which suggest the presence of disease or injury.
At the start of the procedure, an I.V. will be placed in your arm or hand for an injection of the radiotracer into a vein. After the injection, the I.V. will be removed. The tracer will need about three hours to concentrate in your bones before the scan. During this waiting period, you may leave our facility and then return in time for the scan. Please increase your fluid intake. After the waiting time, you will be asked to empty your bladder and lie on the scanning table. The scanner will move over you several times as it detects the gamma rays emitted by the tracer in the bone tissue. The images produced will be interpreted by one of our board certified nuclear medicine radiologists.
In some cases, your physician might order a three-phase bone scan which includes a series of images taken at different times. A number of images are taken as the tracer is injected, then shortly after the injection and then again about three hours later.
Your physician may also order additional imaging called Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). This helps analyze conditions that are especially deep in your bone. For a SPECT scan, the camera rotates around your body, taking images as it rotates.
