Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine

The Nuclear Medicine is a modern medical specialty that uses “open radiation sources” for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The term “open sources” refers to substances labeled with radioisotopes that are administered intravenously or orally to the patient, in order to obtain information on the function and metabolism of the human body organs or for the treatment of certain diseases.

In general, the radioisotopes used in nuclear medicine decay emitting either gamma or beta radiation, or, in some cases, both. Radioisotopes emitting gamma radiation are preferable in diagnostic applications, whereas in therapeutic applications, beta emitters are used.

Diagnostic applications are divided in “IN VIVO” and “IN VITRO” applications (the latest referring in biological body fluids, e.g. blood, urine). The IN VIVO diagnostic applications, in their great percentage regard scintigrams, which are performed using gamma-camera.

Hygeia Hospital has 2 modern tomographic (i.e. with 360o rotation around the patient capability) Philips γ-cameras.

In specific:

a) Bright View γ-camera, with 2 heads of variable angle, which is able to acquire anterior and posterior or bilateral images simultaneously, reducing by half the examination time in comparison to the conventional single head γ-camera. Bright View also uses automatic tangential movement technology with body sensors that allow the γ-camera heads to move in minimal distance to the patient’s surface without contact . The tomographic capability allows performing of Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPECT). Tomographic imaging reveals information from the depth of the examined organs that is not possible to be received by the conventional planar imaging.

b) and Bright View XCT, which is a system of two gamma camera heads as provided above, with the addition of the revolutionary low emission X-ray “flat panel” technology. This device can provide anatomical information of the examined body region of the patient, in order to use it for the process of attenuation correction. In addition, the same images can be fused with the tomographic scintigraphy (SPECT) images, producing SPECT/CT images. Bright View XCT achieves superior image quality and reduces the data acquisition time in half, reducing the overall examination duration on patients’ benefit.

Both γ-cameras are connected to a superfast JetStream type computer network, with extremely sophisticated software and unlimited image processing capabilities. Hygeia’s Nuclear Medicine Department is Philips’ Reference Centre for the regions of Southern Europe and Middle East.

/ IN VIVO

.SCINTIGRAPHIES (gamma camera)

Myocardial Scintigraphy
Tomographic myocardial scintigraphy with new Τc-99m labeled radiopharmaceuticals (SESTAMIBI, ΤETROFOSMIN) and simultaneous multi-gated myocardial contractility (Quantitative Gated SPECT).
– Static and dynamic with Tl-201
– With re-administration
Radioisotope Ventriculography in Stress and Rest
Thyroid Scintigraphy
with Tc-99m, Ι-123, Ι-131
– Whole body with I-131
– Whole body with I-123
– Uptake test
Renal Scintigraphy
– Static (DMSA)
– Dynamic (DTPA or MAG-3)
Lung Scintigraphy
– Lung perfusion with MAA
– Lung ventilation with Technegas
(No preparation is required)
Bone and Three-Phase Bone Scintigraphy
Brain Scintigraphy With Gamma Camera
– Assessment of the basal ganglia with I-123-DATSCAN and Ι-123-ΙΒΖΜ, the latest techniques available in detecting Alzheimer’s and diagnosing Parkinson’s disease.
– Brain scintigraphy with Tc99m-HMPAO for assessing regional cerebral perfusion
– Brain scintigraphy with Tetrofosmin for assessing space-occupying lesions
Parathyroid Gland Scintigraphy With Gamma Camera
Sentinel Node Scintigraphy
On breast malignancies and melanomas, with data collection by the gamma camera and intraoperative gamma ray sensor (gamma probe radio-guided surgery).
Scintigraphic Detection of Inflammation
– LEUKOSCAN
– LEUKOKIT
– GALLIUM (Ga-67)
(No preparation is required)
Whole Body Somatostatin-Receptor Scintigraphy With Gamma Camera
– With OCTREOSCAN
– With TEKTROTYDE
(No preparation is required)
Adrenal Gland Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera and Ι-123-ΜΙBG (No preparation is required)
Breast Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Testicular Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Meckel’s Diverticulum Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Scintigraphy with Gallium (Ga-67) and Gamma Camera
Liver-Spleen Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Liver Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Spleen Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Labeled Red Blood Cell Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Bone Marrow Scintigraphy (spinal cord) with Gamma Camera
Digestive System Bleeding Detection with Tc-99m-Labeled Red Blood Cells
Radioisotope Cholangiography (biliary scintigraphy) with Gamma Camera
Pancreatic Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Solid Gastric Emptying Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera
Liquid Gastric Emptying Scintigraphy with Gamma Camera

.OTHER TREATMENTS AND APPLICATIONS

For hyperthyroidism treatment:

Administration of I-131 for toxic goiter
Administration of I-131 for toxic adenoma
Administration of I-131 for hyperthyroidism

For treatment of painful bone metastases:

Administration of radioactive strontium Sr-89
Administration of radioactive rhenium Re-186 HEDD
Administration of radioactive samarium Sm-153 (QUADRAMET)

Administration of radioactive yttrium (Zevalin):

• for radioimmunotherapy of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• for radiosynovectomy
• administration of yttrium microspheres for ablation of liver metastases

/ IN VITRO

The in vitro diagnostic applications (Radioimmunoassay-RIA and Immunoradiometric Assay-IRMA) constitute a significant part of HYGEIA Hospital’s Nuclear Medicine Department activities. Equipped with the necessary technology, the in vitro department performs a series of tests for detecting hormones, medications, vitamins, allergies and many other substances in the blood, urine and other biological fluids of patients.

The innovative daily customized external quality control by a specialist Radiopharmacist ensures very reliable results and guarantees clinical credibility, to the benefit of patients.

In vitro (Hematology Lab)