Purposes
Nuclear Medicine is a medical specialty utilizing small amounts of radioactive materials (tracers) to help diagnose and treat a variety of diseases. A special camera (gamma camera) works in conjunction with computers to map the distribution of the tracer throughout the body, providing information about the function and structure of the organs and tissues being imaged.

Today, Nuclear Medicine offers procedures that are helpful to a broad span of medical specialties to include: neurology, oncology, orthopedics, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, as well as renal and pulmonary applications. There are nearly 100 different imaging procedures available and not a major organ system that is not imaged by this technology.

Although Nuclear Medicine is commonly used for diagnostic purposes, it also has valuable therapeutic applications such as treatment of thyroid diseases, blood imbalances, prostate cancer, and pain relief from certain types of bone cancer.