Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine involves the use of small amounts of radioactive materials (or tracers) to help diagnose and treat a variety of diseases. Nuclear Medicine determines the cause of a medical problem based on the function of the organ, tissue or bone.

Nuclear Medicine procedures (known as "scans") are safe and painless. At St. Bernards tests are performed using radioactive material introduced into the body by injection, swallowing or inhalation. Different tracers are used to study different parts of the body. The amount of tracer used is carefully selected to provide the least amount of radiation exposure to the patient but ensure an accurate test. A special camera (a gamma camera) is used to take pictures of the body. The camera does this by detecting the tracer in the organ, bone or tissue being imaged and then records this information on a computer screen or on film.

St. Bernards Nuclear Medicine Department is housed in the Heartcare Center. Procedures include:

  • Traditional and SPECT imaging of the thyroid, liver, spleen and lungs
  • The latest nuclear cardiology procedures such as myocardial perfusion studies and quantitative lung and renal studies.
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET) studies available through our PET Center
  • Low and High dose I 131 therapy administration