At Augusta University, we offer the broadest range of nuclear medicine scans in the region, allowing us to diagnose many medical conditions and diseases:

• Brain scans, for memory problems, tremors, seizures, or tumors.
• Thyroid scans, to evaluate thyroid function and structure, parathyroid over activity, and for treatment of thyroid disease including cancer.
• Lung scans, for identifying blood clots in the lungs and breathing problems.
• Heart scans, to identify abnormal blood flow to the heart, determine the risk for or extent of damage to heart muscle after a heart attack, and measure heart function or heart failure.
• Stomach (or gastric) emptying scans, for patients with nausea, vomiting, heartburn or reflux, or to find the site of bleeding in the stomach or intestines.
• Liver and gallbladder scans, to see if nausea, vomiting or pain is caused by gallstones or infection.
• Renal scans, to examine function of the kidneys and to detect abnormalities such as tumors or obstruction of the renal blood flow or urine outflow.
• Bone scans, to evaluate bone pain, arthritis in the joints, bone tumors, fractures or infection.
• Tumor and infection scans, to find tumors or infection in unknown sites.

Our nuclear medicine physicians also serve as consultants to the The Georgia Cancer Center tumor boards. We review a patient’s history together with the results of their nuclear imaging studies to provide recommendations for optimal therapy and care management.

Before your exam:

If you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant or are breastfeeding, tell your physician and radiographer.

For most studies, no preparation is needed. For scans of the heart, stomach, and gallbladder, you will be instructed to have nothing to eat or drink after midnight except water. Patients with certain thyroid conditions may also require special precautions.

During your exam:

Depending on the organ to be studied, the radiotracer is injected into a vein, inhaled into the lungs or swallowed. For most exams, the radiotracer is delivered via an IV.
Images may be made immediately or you may be asked to return at a later time. In addition, images may be taken over an extended period of time. Every exam is different and could take minutes to hours.
During the actual scan, you will lie down on a table while the camera records the radiotracer as it moves through the body or is trapped in an organ.

After your exam:

If you plan to travel by airplane within a few days of your nuclear medicine scan, make sure to inform your physician. It’s possible the radiotracer could set off radiation detectors at the airport. Your doctor can provide you with a card that explains that you have recently undergone a nuclear medicine scan.