Lower Columbia Nuclear Medicine and PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Imaging is an imaging practice providing a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for patients in the Lower Columbia Region. Our goal is to provide excellent medical imaging in a patient sensitive manner. Our staff of Board Certified Nuclear Medicine physicians and technologists strive to ensure that procedures and results are provided in the most accurate, timely and caring manner possible.
Nuclear Medicine
Lower Columbia Nuclear Medicine and PET Imaging provides a wide range of nuclear functional imaging and therapeutic procedures encompassing the musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, nervous, genitourinary, cardiovascular, endocrine and respiratory systems.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Imaging
Lower Columbia Nuclear Medicine and PET Imaging provides PET Imaging for the diagnosis, staging, and restaging of various cancers, evaluation of cardiac viability, and for brain imaging to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and to localize seizure focus.
SPECIAL NOTE: All isotopes are special orders. If an exam must be canceled, please notify Nuclear Medicine 24 hours prior to the exam.
Procedure Guidelines
General Considerations
Procedure List
Use the links below for specific test information.
Cardiovascular Procedures
Ejection
Fraction/Wall Motion (MUGA)
| Clinical Indications |
Drug
intervention studies (chemotherapy), cardiomyopathies, CAD, CHF,
valvular heart disease. |
| Patient Preparation |
NPO
4 hours prior to exam |
| Time Frame |
1 hour |
| Conflicting Examination or Medications |
None |
| |
|
SPECT
Myocardial Perfusion Scan with Chemical Stress
| Clinical Indications |
Chest pain, EKG changes, acute/old MI, CAD, pre and post CABG/angioplasty, inadequate level of exercise, COPD and severe peripheral vascular disease, presurgical clearance. |
| Patient Preparation |
Restrict
xanthine medications (36-48 hours); NPO 4 hours prior to exam, no
caffeine 24 hours prior to test. |
| Time Frame |
2
- 4 hours |
| Conflicting Examination or Medications |
Allergy
to aminophylline, resting hypotension, unstable
angina, caffeine or nicotine, xanthine medications. |
SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Scan with Treadmill Stress
| Clinical Indications |
Chest
pain, EKG changes, rule out acute/old MI, CAD, pre and post CABG/angioplasty. |
| Patient Preparation |
Discontinue beta-blockers, calcium antagonists, and nitrates, if possible. NPO 4 hours prior to test. No caffeine 24 hours prior to test.
|
| Time Frame |
2
- 4 hours |
| Conflicting Examination or Medications |
Beta-blockers,
calcium antagonists, nitrates, and caffeine. |
Endocrine
Procedures
Thyroid (Technetium 99m) Scan
| Clinical Indications |
Thyroid nodule, substernal thyroid or mediastinal mass. |
| Patient Preparation |
None |
| Time Frame |
1 hour |
| Conflicting Examination or Medications |
Synthroid - must be off 3-4 weeks prior to the exam. Iodine containing medications. Contrast agents, 2-3 months. |
Thyroid 1-123
Uptake
and Scan
| Clinical Indications |
Hyperthyroidism
(thyrotoxicosis),
multinodular goiter, grave's disease, abnormal thyoid lab work, autonomous thyroid nodule. |
| Patient Preparation |
NPO 4 hours prior to dose (first appointment), TSH, T3, T4 should be done within 30 days of test. |
| Time Frame |
2 hours over 2 days with 3 appointments:
DAY 1:
Appointment #1 - 30 minutes, Appointment #2 - 1 hour
DAY 2:
Appointment #3 - 30 minutes
|
| Conflicting Examination or Medications |
Thyroid Med Discontinue List:
• Radiographic contrast agents – 6 weeks
• Myelogram – 1 year
• Antithyroid drugs (PTU and Tapazole/methimazole) – 1 week
• Levothyroxine (Synthroid) – 6 weeks
• Triiodothyronine (Cytomel) – 2 weeks
|
Thyroid
Cancer
| Clinical Indications |
Thyroid carcinoma,
metastasis.
|
| Patient Preparation |
Patient receives I-131 oral dose 48-72 hours prior to scan.
Serum pregnancy test (beta HCG) done within 3 days before test for all females
in child bearing age (12-55, no exceptions). TSH will be done on all patients within 3 days before the
test.
|
| Time Frame |
2-1/2 hours, 48 hours apart:
Appointment #1 - 15 minutes
Appointment #2 - 2 hours, 15 minutes
|
| Conflicting Examination or Medications |
Thyroid Med Discontinue List:
• Radiographic contrast agents – 6 weeks
• Myelogram – 1 year
• Antithyroid drugs (PTU and Tapazole/methimazole) – 1 week
• Levothyroxine (Synthroid) – 6 weeks
• Triiodothyronine (Cytomel) – 2 weeks
|
Parathyroid
| Clinical Indications |
Hypercalcemia, renal
stones or failure, history of parathyroid tumors, bone disease, preoperative
evaluation for parathyroidectomy (for hyperparathyroidism), elevated parathyroid
hormone level.
|
| Patient Preparation |
None
|
| Time Frame |
2 - 4 hours
|
| Conflicting Examination or Medications |
None
|
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