Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine is available twice a month at Cheyenne County Hospital (every other Tuesday). Our nuclear medicine imaging is provided by Front Range Nuclear Services. 

Nuclear Medicine involves the use of small amounts of radioactive materials, (or tracers) to help diagnose and treat a variety of diseases. Nuclear Medicine determines the cause of the medical problem based on the function of the organ, tissue or bone. 

As an integral part of patient care, nuclear medicine is used in diagnosis, management, treatment and prevention of serious diseases. Nuclear Medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease--long before some medical problems are apparent with other diagnostic tests. This early detection allows a disease to be treated early in its course when there may be a more successful prognosis. 

For information specific to type of study, go to Front Range Nuclear Services. The website provides helpful information regarding proper patient preparation and other information about the services offered through our nuclear medicine provider. 

Nuclear medicine is a subspecialty within radiology. It comprises diagnostic examinations that result in images of body anatomy and function. The images are developed based on the detection of energy emitted from a radioactive substance given to the patient, either intravenously or by mouth. Generally, radiation to the patient is similar to that resulting from standard x-ray examinations. 

Nuclear medicine images can assist the physician in diagnosing diseases. Tumors, infection and other disorders can be detected by evaluating organ function. Specifically, nuclear medicine can be used to: 

Analyze kidney function
Image blood flow and function of the heart
Scan lungs for respiratory and blood-flow problems
Identify blockage of the gallbladder
Evaluate bones for fracture, infection, arthritis or tumor
Determine the presence or spread of cancer
Identify bleeding into the bowel
Locate the presence of infection
Measure thyroid function to detect an overactive or underactive thyroid

To learn more, click here. 

To schedule an appointment, call Diagnostic Imaging at Cheyenne County Hospital at 785-332-2104, ext. 165.