University Of Washington Physicians

Nuclear Medicine

A nuclear medicine specialist employs the properties of radioactive atoms and molecules in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and in research. Radiation detection and imaging instrument systems are used to detect disease as it changes the function and metabolism of normal cells, tissues and organs. A wide variety of diseases can be found in this way, usually before the structure of the organ involved by the disease can be seen to be abnormal by any other techniques. Early detection of coronary artery disease (including acute heart attack), early cancer detection and evaluation of the effect of tumor treatment, diagnosis of infection and inflammation anywhere in the body and early detection of blood clot in the lungs are all possible with these techniques. Unique forms of radioactive molecules can attack and kill cancer cells (e.g., lymphoma, thyroid cancer) or can relieve the severe pain of cancer that has spread to bone

Nuclear Cardiology

University Of Washington Physicians is a Nuclear Cardiology practice in Seattle, WA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in using small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose and treat patients' heart problems by injecting an imaging agent into a patient's bloodstream and using a gamma camera to monitor a patient's heart at work and at rest. Nuclear Cardiologists at University Of Washington Physicians perform cutting edge heart scans and tests to provide diagnostics and condition management plans. Nuclear Cardiology is the study and use of noninvasive techniques to assess and evaluate dysfunctions of the heart: blood flow, pumping function, size, and location. Nuclear medicine injects small amounts of radioactive materials - radiotracers - into the bloodstream, nose (inhaled) or mouth (swallowed). These radiotracers travel to the area being examined and give off gamma rays which are detected by a special camera and depicted by a computer as highly detailed images of the heart. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Nuclear Cardiology practices include schaemic heart disease, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Nuclear Cardiology practices include supervising cardiac stress tests and cardiac specific radiotracking, SPECT gamma imaging analysis, fusion/hybrid imaging (structural with CT/MR + functional SPECT/PET), multiple gated acquisition (MUGA), radionuclide angiography, ventriculography, or gated pool imaging.

A nuclear medicine physician who specializes in nuclear cardiology.

Nuclear Imaging & Therapy

A nuclear medicine physician who specializes in nuclear imaging and therapy.

In Vivo & In Vitro Nuclear Medicine

A nuclear medicine physician who specializes in in vivo and in vitro nuclear medicine.

Nuclear Radiology

University Of Washington Physicians is a Nuclear Radiology practice in Seattle, WA with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in using radioactive materials - radiopharmaceuticals - to produce images of patients' organs that help a nuclear medicine physician diagnose disease. Nuclear Radiologists at University Of Washington Physicians perform imaging of body organs using radiopharmaceuticals. Nuclear Radiology is a method of producing images by detecting radiation from different parts of the body after a radioactive tracer is given to the patient. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Nuclear Radiology practices include hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, or painful bone metastases. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Nuclear Radiology practices include scintigraphy, positron emission tomography (PET) scan, hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA), radioactive iodine thyroid scan.

A radiologist who is involved in the analysis and imaging of radionuclides and radiolabeled substances in vitro and in vivo for diagnosis and the administration of radionuclides and radiolabeled substances for the treatment of disease.