Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine Departments of Acıbadem Healthcare Group deal with use of radioactive-labeled materials in small amounts for diagnosis and treatment of diseases and monitoring distribution of these materials in body.

On the contrary to radiology studies that image anatomic details, nuclear medicine is focused on imaging functions of organ to diagnose diseases.

Diagnosis and Treatment Services in Nuclear Medicine Department

Nuclear Medicine Departments of Acıbadem Healthcare Group are able to image infections and inflammations in cardio-vascular system, skeletal system, thyroid, parathyroid, genito-urinary system, tumor, pulmonary system and central nerve system and also to perform C-14-Urea Breathe Test and intra-operative sentinel node biopsy procedures.

Moreover, leukocyte-labeled whole body scintigraphy can also be scanned in our Nuclear Medicine Departments.

PET (Positron Emission Tomography) imaging is mostly used for diagnosis and follow-up of cancers and diseases of central nervous system and cardio-vascular system. A PET scan detects metabolic changes in cancer cells using a radioactive tracer, called FDG. Thus, information is gained regarding the stage of diseases and the risk of recurrence.

Gallium 68 (Ga-68)

Gallium 68 is a nuclear medicine agent used in imaging prostate cancer and endocrine tumors (Gallium-PET) at Nuclear Medicine Departments of Acıbadem Maslak Hospital and Acıbadem Atakent Hospital. A PET-CT scan is run that lasts for 20 minutes, after Gallium-68 isotope is intravenously administered to the patient and 60-minute uptake phase elapses.

Iodine Unit

Iodine unit used radioactive iodine therapy to manage thyroid cancers in Nuclear Medicine Departments of Acıbadem Maslak Hospital and Acıbadem Atakent Hospital.

The unit has two patient rooms that are coated with lead for safety of patients and staff. Rooms are monitored by a nurse from a camera throughout the treatment period. Patients can call nurses and seek information, whenever they want. Nurses check patients by visiting the room at certain intervals. Nobody is allowed to these rooms, excluding the assigned nurse and physician.