What is a Gamma Camera?
How does it help?
The Gamma Camera will track the radioisotope in the area to be scanned and will measure how the part processes it. There are multiple types of diagnostic scans performed by the Gamma Camera.
Types of scans
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Heart Scintigraphy
A Thallium stress test is a form of scintigraphy, where the amount of Thallium – 201 detected in cardiac tissues correlates with tissue blood supply. Viable cardiac cells have normal Na +/ K+ ion exchange pumps. Thallium binds the K+ pumps and is transported into the cells. Exercise or dobutamine induces reduction of radiotracers in the ischemic (compromised blood supply) regions of heart muscle. Areas of infracted tissue will remain "cold". Pre- and post-stress thallium may indicate areas that will benefit from myocardial revascularization. Redistribution indicates the presence of ischemic coronary artery diseases.
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Renal Scintigraphy
Renal Scintigraphy is a test in which dynamic images of the kidneys/renography are taken for quantifying the renal function (GFR) under a Gamma camera following the intravenous (I.V) injection of a radiopharmaceutical known as Tc99m DTPA.
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Bone Scintigraphy
It is performed by radiotracer technetium 99m MDP, which can be transported and attached to bone via the hydroxyapatite for imaging.
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Lung Scintigraphy
The most common indication for lung scintigraphy is to diagnose pulmonary embolism, e.g. with a ventilation/ perfusion scan. Less common indications include evaluation of lung transplantation, preoperative evaluation, and evaluation of right to left shunts.
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Thyroid Scintigraphy
A Tc-99m [pertechnetate] thyroid scan is a form of scintigraphy which reveals the general structure of the thyroid gland (e.g. nodular or diffuse enlargement) and its function.
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Parathyroid Scintigraphy
Parathyroid scintigraphy is a test to localize parathyroid adenomas or parathyroid hyperplasia in patients with hyperparathyroidism that is determined on the basis of elevated parathyroid hormone levels in the setting of an elevated serum calcium level.
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Biliary system (Cholescintigraphy)
Scintigraphy of the biliary system is called cholescintigraphy and is done to diagnose obstruction of the bile ducts by a gallstone (cholelithiasis), a tumor, or another cause. It can also diagnose other gall bladder diseases.