Nuclear medicine procedures are used in diagnosing and treating certain illnesses. These procedures use radioactive materials called radiopharmaceuticals. Examples of diseases treated with nuclear medicine procedures are hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, lymphomas, and bone pain from some types of cancer.

What Exactly is Nuclear Medicine?

Nuclear medicine is a part of the radiology department. It is an imaging technique that is primarily used to diagnose conditions such as heart disease, bone pain and disorders, kidney disease, and thyroid disorders. Many times, a nuclear medicine procedure is performed in breast and prostate cancer patients to stage the progression of the cancer. Nuclear medicine is highly sensitive and can often identify diseases and abnormalities before other testing methods, which allows for earlier treatments and better prognoses.