Nuclear Medicine Imaging at UPMC

What Are Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging and Theranostics?

Nuclear medicine imaging:

Uses small, safe amounts of radioactive tracers to take pictures of organs and tissue.
Differs from other imaging tests because it shows how organs function rather than how they look.
Helps doctors diagnose and treat a range of diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

Theranostics:

Uses therapeutics and diagnostics to treat a tumor.
Combines using one radioactive drug to make a diagnosis and a second radioactive drug to deliver therapy to treat a tumor.

Find an imaging location near you

Types of Nuclear Imaging Tests

Our staff has expert training in a wide array of nuclear imaging scans, including:

Bone scan. Assesses degenerative or arthritic changes in your joints, detects bone diseases or tumors, and finds the cause of bone pain or swelling.
Brain scan. Looks for problems within the brain or with blood circulation to the brain.
Gastric emptying test (GET). Measures the speed with which food empties from your stomach.
Heart scan. Finds abnormal blood flow to the heart, measures heart function, or shows the extent of damage after a heart attack.
HIDA (hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid) scan. Takes pictures of your liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and small intestine.
I-131 treatment. Treats thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism.
MUGA scan. Shows the function of the left ventricle of the heart.
Parathyroid scan. Studies tumors in the parathyroid gland.
Renal scan. Checks your kidneys and can detect tumors or blood flow blockages.
Thyroid scan. Tests your thyroid function.
VQ (lung ventilation–perfusion) scan. Looks at the air and blood flow in your lungs.
Xofigo treatment. Is a palliative treatment for prostate cancer.

Before Your Nuclear Imaging Test

If you're claustrophobic or fear enclosed spaces, talk to your doctor before the day of your test. They can prescribe mild sedation to help you relax during the procedure.

Before your nuclear imaging test starts:

Tell your imaging technologist if you're pregnant or think you might be pregnant. Radiation can be harmful to an unborn baby.
The tech will ask you questions about your health and any past surgeries.
You'll also have a chance to ask any questions about the test.
You'll put on a hospital gown and take off any jewelry or metal.

How Do I Prep for My Nuclear Imaging Test?

Your doctor will give you details on how to prep based on the type of test you're having.

We've listed some standard steps for each nuclear imaging test, so you know what to expect.

Bone scan

Bone scans find:

An increase in bone degeneration.
Fractures.
Bone infections.
Arthritis or pain.
Bone tumors and bone cancer.

You don't need to do anything to prepare for a bone scan.

But you should drink extra fluids and pee often between the shot and scan. You'll also have a temporary IV set up.

Your scan can take anywhere from 3 to 4 hours, based on the bones we're scanning.

GET (gastric emptying test)

These tests show the movement of solids or liquids from your stomach into your small intestine.

Instructions to prep for a GET can vary but may include:

Not taking certain stomach medicine and narcotics 2 days before the study.
No eating, drinking, or caffeine for 6 hours before the study.
No smoking the morning of the test or during the study.

For the study, your tech will give you a small amount of food tagged with a tasteless radioactive material, such as:

2 scrambled eggs and 2 oz. of water.
Eggs, toast with jam, and 2 oz. of water.

If you're allergic to eggs, we can give you Ensure.

The study lasts about 4 or 5 hours.

HIDA Scan

HIDA scans show the function of the gallbladder.

Common ways to prep before your HIDA scan include:

Having an ultrasound within 6 months of the scan.
No narcotics for 12 hours before the scan.
No eating or drinking for 6 hours before the scan.

On the day of your HIDA scan, you'll have a temporary IV set up. The test takes anywhere from 90 minutes to 4 hours.

Renal Scan

Renal scans assess:

Kidney function.
Trauma.
Kidney transplants.
Vascular hypertension or obstruction.

Test prep often includes:

Not taking certain medicines — like ACE inhibitors and water pills — for 48 hours before your scan.
Drinking extra fluids.

On the day of your renal scan, you'll have an IV or a Foley catheter. The scan takes between 20 minutes and 2 hours.

Stress test

Stress tests measure your blood flow and the function of the heart muscle.

Your doctor will give you specific instructions before your test. They may include not eating, drinking, or taking certain medicines several hours before.

You'll have your stress test at the hospital. It takes about 2 or 3 hours.

Thyroid uptake and scan

Thyroid uptakes and scans look at the size, shape, location, and function of the thyroid gland.

Prep can vary but may include:

No amiodarone for 3 to 6 months before your scan.
No IV contrast dye for 12 weeks before your scan.
No multivitamins for 2 weeks before your scan.
No thyroid medicine for 3 days to 4 weeks before your scan, based on the drug you take.
No eating or drinking for 4 hours before your scan.

On the day of your test, we may give you a pill or an IV. The uptake and scan take more than 24 hours from start to finish.

VQ scan

VQ scans detect blood clots in the lungs, a condition called pulmonary embolism. You'll have this test at the hospital.

With most VQ scans, you'll need to:

Get a chest x-ray within 24 hours of the VQ scan.
Have a temporary IV set up.
Lie flat during the scan, which takes about 45 minutes.