Nuclear Medicine

Bath Radiology Group offer the full range of nuclear medicine diagnostic investigations. 

Both Richard Graham and Stewart Redman are subspecialized radionuclide radiologists and hold full diagnostic licenses from the Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC).  In addition Richard Graham holds an ARSAC license for PET-CT.

Since the studies are reported by radionuclide radiologists, the report produced considers both the functional (nuclear medicine) and the structural (plain film, CT and MRI) information to produce an integrated clinically useful report.

We utilize single photo emission computed tomography (SPECT), and CT co-registration, for a large proportion of our studies, which produces cross sectional images that give us increased diagnostic certainty.

Musculoskeletal

MDP bone scans, which are useful in:  

  • Staging and re-staging of carcinomas with possible skeletal metastases e.g, prostate, breast and lung.
  • Investigation of skeletal pain
  • Investigation of polyarthropathy
  • Investigation of stress fracture
  • Investigation of periprosthetic joint loosening and infection
  • Investigation of rheumatological disorders e.g SAPHO
  • Investigation of wrist pain
  • Investigation of diabetic feet with regard to osteomyelitis

Pulmonary

V/Q scanning has a very high negative predictive value in the investigation of pulmonary embolic disease.  We perform studies in the investigation of acute and chronic disease.  All our V/Q scans are performed using SPECT.

We recommend ‘half dose’ Q scanning in pregnant women as the patient breast dose is significantly less than that of CTPA.

Cardiovascular
  • Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy for the investigation of coronary artery disease
  • MAA shunt studies
  • Lymphoscintigraphy to image lower  limb lymphatics in lympheodema

Endocrine

  • Sestamibi SPECT-CT scanning for localizing parathyroid tumours
  • Iodine imaging for patients with thyroid dysfunction
  • Iodine imaging for the staging of thyroid carcinoma
  • MIBG and Octreotide SPECT-CT for the investigation of neuroendocrine tumours
Renal
  • DMSA renogram for imaging renal scars and calculating split function.
  • MAG 3 renogram for investigation obstructive nephropathy

Gastrointestinal

  • SeCHAT studies to investigate bile salt malabsorption
  • HIDA studies for gall bladder dysfunction and biliary leaks
  • Labeled red cell scans to investigate GI bleeding
  • Meckels scan
  • Labeled white cell scans to investigate inflammatory bowel disease
Infection

We perform labeled white cell scans for osteomyelitis and occult infection.  We generally will perform a bone marrow scan contemporaneously to increase the usefulness of a white cell scan.

Breast

We perform lymphoscintigraphy to localize sentinel lymph nodes.

Dermatology
  • Lymphoscintigraphy to image sentinel nodes in malignant melanoma
Neurology
  • DaT scans for the diagnosis of Parkinson disease, Lewy body dementia and Parkinson plus syndromes
  • Cerebral perfusion/metabolic imaging for the diagnosis of Alzheimer and frontotemporal dementia

Ophthalmology

  • Dacroscintigraphy for the investigation of epiphoria.

 

We are always happy to discuss the potential usefulness of a nuclear medicine investigation with any referring clinician.

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Breast Imaging →