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Radionuclide Imaging
Definition 1
An imaging technique that uses a small dose of a radioactive chemical (isotope) called a tracer that can detect sites of cancer growth, trauma, infection or degenerative disorders. The tracer, which is either injected into a vein or swallowed, travels through the bloodstream to the target organ, and emits gamma rays, which are detected by a gamma camera and analyzed by a computer to form an image of the target organ. (NCI Thesaurus)
Definition 2
A procedure that produces pictures (scans) of structures inside the body, including areas where there are cancer cells. Scintigraphy is used to diagnose, stage, and monitor disease. A small amount of a radioactive chemical (radionuclide) is injected into a vein or swallowed. Different radionuclides travel through the blood to different organs. A machine with a special camera moves over the person lying on a table and detects the type of radiation given off by the radionuclides. A computer forms an image of the areas where the radionuclide builds up. These areas may contain cancer cells. (NCI Dictionary)
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