What is Scintigraphy?

Scintigraphy is a nuclear medicine method performed by administering drugs orally or intravenously to diagnose various types of cancer, endocrine and neurological disorders, and various diseases such as heart diseases, to determine their severity, and to monitor the disease in organs and tissues molecularly.

For Which Diseases Is Scintigraphy Used?

Thyroid in Endocrinology; goiter diagnosis and treatment follow-up Parathyroid; Lesion Detection Marked Leukocyte in Infection Bone Marrow Marked Immunoglobulins with Nanocolloid Liver-Spleen Scintigraphy in the Gastrointestinal System Gastroesophageal Reflux Scintigraphy Esophageal transit study Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy Gastrointestinal Bleeding Study Salivary Gland Scintigraphy Gastric Evacuation System Kidney Scintigraphy Myocardial Perfusion Scintigraphy in the Cardiovascular System; heart muscle viability, heart failure, Myocardial Sympathetic Innervation Scintigraphy MUGA; detection of whole or regional movement disorders of the heart Three-Phase Bone Scintigraphy in the Musculoskeletal System Whole Body Bone Scintigraphy; Investigation of the extent of spread of cancer to the bones and the causes of pain Bone Marrow Scintigraphy Lung perfusion scintigraphy in the Pulmonary (Respiratory) System; probability in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, evaluation of lung functions before lung cancer operation Lung perfusion/ventilation scintigraphy Lung quantitative perfusion scintigraphy Brain Perfusion Scintigraphy in the Central Nervous System; Epilepsy, tumors, blood circulation failure, in the development of clinical findings in cases with Alzheimer's risk.

Sintigrafi İşlemi Nasıl Yapılır?

The people who perform the scintigraphy process must be experts and professionals in their fields. It is applied by nuclear medicine technologists who know how the devices are used and how they are applied to the patient. Scintigraphy is also known as gamma scanning, and in this method, images are taken by cameras and transferred to a computer. The images are processed on the computer, and then a more precise and clear information about the structures of the organs is obtained. Images taken with the scintigraphy method can be 2 or 3 dimensional. Extremely effective imaging systems produce very effective results in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. In order to be able to view comfortably in the scintigraphy method, it is necessary to wear a special apron. The nurse gives the special medicine to the patient in various ways (mouth, vein). The special medicine is expected to reach the damaged place in the body. The emitted radiation waves are processed by the gamma camera. The patient must be immobile. It is said to change direction at any time. The data is examined by the doctor and if the desired data is not obtained, the process is repeated.

What are the Types of Scintigraphy?

Types of scintigraphy are named according to the tissue and organ to which the scintigraphy method is applied. These types are as follows: Heart scintigraphy; diseases in the heart, vessels and muscles are detected. It can be applied in two steps. First, movements in the blood after stress are observed. Secondly, blood movements are observed after people have rested. And the data obtained as a result of these two steps are compared. Thyroid scintigraphy; This method is used for the definitive image of thyroid and goiter disease detected in the analyzes after a doctor's examination. Bone scintigraphy; This method is used for problems such as bending of the bones, calcification and cancer. Lung scintigraphy; scintigraphy is used to view the state of the air sacs. In addition, scintigraphy is performed to understand whether there is blood on the surface of the liver. Kidney scintigraphy; Both physical and functional impairments in the kidney are displayed.

What are the Side Effects of the Scintigraphy Method?

After the scintigraphy process is completed, the patient can continue his life in the same way. There are no side effects afterward. Radiation is at its lowest in scintigraphy imaging. Organs and tissues in a healthy structure are not affected by this radiation. The time for the special drug given to the patient's body to be eliminated from the body is very short. It is important that the particular drug does not cause sensitization to the person. In terms of successful imaging, allergies etc. sensitization events should not occur. Its occurrence is extremely rare and is immediately temporary.