NB: If there is a possibility that the patient might be pregnant the Nuclear Medicine Department must be made aware of this as soon as possible and when applicable, in advance of the appointment.
The nuclear medicine service is only available at Basingstoke Hospital.
Nuclear Medicine is a specialised area of radiology that uses very small amounts of a radioactive substance, called a radionuclide (also known as radiopharmaceuticals or radioactive tracer), to diagnose and treat certain illnesses.
The radionuclide is injected into the bloodstream, swallowed or inhaled as a gas, where it accumulates in the area of the body being examined. A small amount of radiation in the form of gamma rays is given off. A radiation detector, the most common type being a gamma camera, detects the radiation. When the gamma camera detects the radiation, digital signals are produced and are stored by a specialised computer.
By measuring the behaviour of the radionuclide in the body an assessment and diagnosis of various conditions, such as tumours, infections, haematomas, organ enlargement or cysts can be identified. A nuclear medicine scan may also be used to assess organ function and blood circulation.
