Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging

Overview – Radiology

Radiology is used for the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. The field uses many tools to cater to patients; one of them is Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging that uses radioactive substances.

This field of medicine includes the use of PET-CT scans and gamma camera studies. This allows the in-depth visualization of the structure and function of tissues, organs, and organ systems, giving physicians pathophysiological information. This is used for many ailments of the heart, brain, and joints; however, it has especially revolutionized cancer diagnosis and treatment. Its benefits are:

• Improved Diagnosis: With nuclear medicine and molecular imaging techniques such as PET-CT and other procedures, it is now possible to detect the exact location of the disease area with utmost precision. This helps in saving time and avoiding unnecessary procedures.
• Better Evaluation: Techniques such as PET-CT not only help in the diagnosis of disease, but also aid the physician in determining the outcome of treatment, by monitoring the response of the patient to a specific treatment protocol.
• Impact on Disease Management: With the advancement in technology in this field, it is now possible to do a functional as well as anatomical imaging at the same time. This avoids any unnecessary surgeries and reduces treatment costs, thereby also increasing patient compliance with the procedures.

At Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, we offer Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging for the following:

• Cancers such as thyroid cancer, lymphoma, etc
• Tumors of adrenal gland and pancreas
• Neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, seizures
• Myocardial perfusion
• Detect heart or lung transplant rejection
• Evaluate the need for angioplasty
• Evaluate bone fractures, tumors & metastatic disease
• Evaluate other conditions such as hyperthyroidism, urinary obstruction, etc

Why Choose Us?

We are amongst the best hospitals for the treatment of diseases in South India, located in Chennai with many years of experience in this field, treating thousands of patients each year. Our facility is well furnished with the latest technology and machines to provide the best of service and care to patients with a variety of treatments and services that we offer.

Excellent Doctors

We have a team of highly-qualified doctors with varying years of experience who offer the most accurate diagnosis and treatment options for your condition. All our medical and technical staff members are certified by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and committed to performing their duties to the highest level of clinical competence.

State-Of-The-Art Infrastructure

As one of the best hospitals in South Asia, located in Chennai, we use the best, state-of-the-art facilities at Gleneagles Global Hospitals. At our premises, we introduce you to high-technology, streamlined processes, and world-class infrastructure with the use of which we aim to meet every patient’s health needs.

Cutting-Edge Technology

At Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, we are keen on providing world-class healthcare experience with the application of our high-precision technologies. Our facility is equipped with a GE IQ PET-CT scanner, Siemens SPECT-CT scanner (gamma camera) and a two-bedded radiation therapy ward, and much more.

We follow a structured imaging and therapy practice, strictly adhering to the principles of ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable radiation) and the guidelines set by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India.

Techniques

At Gleneagles Global Health City, we have specialists with expertise in nuclear medicine who provide the most accurate diagnosis for each patient’s condition. Additionally, we have diagnostic labs and advanced imaging equipment to reduce any chances of error in the detection and accelerate your journey to a better quality of life.

• PET-CT

Pathophysiological information of organ systems of the body is derived through PET-CT scans. A PET-CT scan is a diagnostic imaging technique that combines the functional and anatomical information provided by positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT), respectively.

PET-CT is a safe, non-invasive, and painless procedure routinely performed in exclusive hospitals world-wide. The overall time for the completion of the process is 3-4 hours, after which patients can return home and resume their routine lives.

Advantages of PET-CT

• Early-stage diagnosis of diseases and early recurrence of tumors
• Determine the extent, spread and severity of the disease in the body
• Helps in the selection of the most effective therapy based on the unique biologic characteristics of the tumor identified

• Gamma Camera

The gamma camera has long been the work-horse of nuclear medicine. The gamma camera studies allow us to reconstruct the physiological and pathological processes taking place in the body graphically by coupling radioactive isotopes to specific drugs, chemicals, and molecules and administering them. This imaging system is widely used in the evaluation of various organ systems, cancer evaluation and detection and localization of infections.

Furthermore, the superimposition of these images on anatomical images from a CT-scanner enables better localization of these processes. This is a hybrid form of imaging and is known as SPECT-CT.

• Targeted Radionuclide Therapy

Targeted radionuclide therapy involves a radioactive drug called a radiopharmaceutical that targets cancer cells. Radiopharmaceuticals typically consist of a radioactive atom (also known as a radionuclide) incorporated with a cell-targeting molecule that finds and kills cancerous cells.

When the radiopharmaceutical is injected into the patient’s bloodstream, it travels to and delivers radiation directly to or near disease sites. This treatment is known as ‘targeted’ radionuclide therapy because it damages cancerous cells, but at the same time, limits radiation exposure to healthy tissue. Hence, this type of therapy offers personalized treatment of cancer because it can be altered to the molecular properties of a specific tumor.