Nuclear Medicine Procedures at UPMC in Central Pa.

Nuclear imaging is a branch of radiology that uses small, safe amounts of radioactive material to diagnose a variety of diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

Our expert staff  is trained in performing a wide array of nuclear imaging scans, including:

• VQ scans. A VQ (ventilation–perfusion) scan looks at air and blood flow in your lungs.
• HIDA scans. A HIDA scan, which stands for hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan, creates pictures of your liver, gallbladder, bile ducts and small intestine.
• Gastric emptying studies. A gastric emptying study measures the speed with which food empties from your stomach.
• Renal scans. A renal scan examines your kidneys and can detect tumors or blood flow blockages.
• Thyroid. Thyroid scans are used to evaluate thyroid function.
• Parathyroid scans. Parathyroid scans are used to evaluate tumors in the parathyroid gland.
• Bone scans. Bone scans are used to evaluate degenerative or arthritic changes in your joints, detect bone diseases or tumors, and determine the cause of bone pain or swelling.
• Cardiac scans. Cardiac scans are used to identify abnormal blood flow to the heart, measure heart function or determine the extent of damage after a heart attack.
• Brain scans. Brain scans are used to investigate problems within the brain or with blood circulation to the brain.
• I-131 treatments. I-131 is used for the treatment of thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism.
• MUGA scans. MUGA scans are a specific test which shows the function of the left ventricle of the heart.
• Xofigo treatments. Xofigo is used as palliative treatment for prostate cancer.

Learn more about preparing for a nuclear medicine procedure.

Locations

UPMC in Central Pa. locations