What are some benefits of nuclear medicine studies?
These procedures provide valuable information that can enable your physician to achieve an early diagnosis of your medical problem. These tests are noninvasive and painless except for the injection into a vein, and are considered to be a safe diagnostic test.

How safe are nuclear medicine studies?
Adverse reactions or side effects to nuclear medicine studies are extremely rare. The benefit of early and accurate diagnosis outweighs the risk of receiving the extremely small quantities of radioactive material administered for a study. Most of the tracer compounds are quickly eliminated from the body - usually within hours or, at the most, in a day or two. 

Is there anything I should tell my doctor or the nuclear medicine team before I undergo one of these tests?
Yes. You should tell your physician if you are pregnant, if you may be pregnant or if you are breastfeeding your baby.

Are nuclear medicine studies performed on children?
Yes. It is not at all unusual to perform nuclear medicine studies on children. The dosage of the tracer compound administered is adjusted according to the child's size, as is done with all pediatric medication. As is the case with adults, the benefits exceed the concern about any possible side effects.

Why do some patients need a number of different tests in addition to nuclear medicine studies?
A diagnosis may be made by one nuclear medicine study. However, it may be necessary to compare the results or confirm the results of the study with other diagnostic tests in order to reach a more accurate understanding of your medical problem.