Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine is a safe and painless procedure that uses small amounts of a radioactive substance, or “tracer”, to help record information about the function and structure of the major organs in your body. A “gamma camera” passes over your body to detect the tracer in your body.

You receive about the same amount of radiation from a Nuclear Medicine test as you do from a diagnostic x-ray.

What can I expect during the exam?

During the exam, you will eat, inhale or be injected with a small amount of tracer. You should not feel sick from the tracer. If by any chance you feel ill, please tell the technologist. Also, please advise your technologist if you are pregnant before taking the tracer. Most of the radioactive tracer is eliminated from the body by normal excretion by the following day. There are no known long-term adverse effects from such low-dose tests.

Depending on the type of test, you may have your images done right after the injection or you may need to come back several hours or days later for them. Sometimes, imaging happens on multiple days.

For the images, you will lie flat on your back on a camera bed. The bed will move under the camera. The camera may come close to your head or go right over top of your head. The camera must come close to get good quality images. You may be asked to turn on your side or to put your arms up over your head.

After the exam, a report will be sent to your doctor. Your doctor will then provide you with this information.

Can I travel after the exam?

Please let us know if you are planning to travel by air or cross the border soon after the test; we will give you a travel letter stating that you have had radioactive material for a medical procedure.

Tests and Procedures

Your doctor may give you information and preparation instructions for you to follow.

Location, Hours and Contact Information

Main Hospital, 3rd Floor, C Block
Report to Nuclear Medicine (Main Hospital, 3rd Floor, C Block) 30 minutes before your appointment time.

Appointments available Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Telephone: 204-237-2748 | Fax: 204-237-2007