Nuclear Medicine Department: A Case Study

A bone scan is an imaging study of your bones. It is used to identify and diagnose bone problems. You may have this test to check for:

Nuclear medicine is a certain branch of medicine that uses a specific type of radiation to give out important information about how a person's specific organs work. As well as, showing the organ and treating a disease that is inside of it. When information gets viewed by special physicians, they make sure to get a quick, accurate diagnosis of what the patient's illness is right away. The main organs that can be easily imaged by the nuclear medicine is the thyroid, bones, heart, liver, lungs, and the gallbladder. There are many hospitals that use the radiation; called radioisotope, in medicines. The most common one is named Technetium-99, which is used in medical diagnostic procedures annually. Nuclear medicine was created in the 1950s by physicians

In nuclear medicine diagnosing techniques, a very small amount of radioactive material is introduced into the body. Because medical isotopes are attracted to specific organs, bones or tissues, the emissions they produce can provide crucial information about a particular type of cancer or disease. Information gathered during a nuclear medicine technique is more comprehensive than other imaging procedures because it describes organ function, not just structure. The result is that many diseases and cancers can be diagnosed much earlier.

After the images are taken, a radiologist can manipulate the digital images by inverting, magnifying, and changing the contrast to double-check the site of the lesion. The computer will then graph the site of the lesion by using x, y, and z coordinates. Once the imaging has been done, the next step is setting up the needle.

Computed tomography (CT) degree programs teach students how to use X-rays, technology and software to gather anatomic information from patients. CAT machines take pictures of a sectional plane of the body and present it as a 3D l image.

•Angiography- is an imaging technique also know as an x-ray. It visualize the inside of blood vessels and organs after injection of contrast material. A long flexible catheter is inserted through the bloodstream to deliver dye. That is what the contrast material

*Performed imaging procedures on patients, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer tomography (CT scan), ultrasound, mammography, and positron emission tomography (PET scan).

Computed Tomography imaging also known as CT or a CAT scan, combines a series of x-ray images taken from different angles and uses computer processing to create cross- sectional images also known as slices of the bones, blood vessels, and soft tissue inside the body. The CT scan reveals anatomic details of internal organs that cannot be seen on conventional x-rays. A motorized table moves the patient through a circular opening of the CT scanner known as the gantry which houses the x-ray tube. As the patient passes through the CT system, the x-rays rotates around the opening. A beam of x-rays exposes the patient as the table moves in and out of the scanner in a series of phases. Detectors on the opposite side of the patient record the x-rays exiting that section of the patients’ body. They then produce cross-sectional views or slices. The data is then sent to a computer to reconstruct all of the individual

A VQ scan is a ventilation perfusion test. These scans are primarily used when a specialist believes something wrong has happened to the patient. The VQ output is generally used when the specialist believes that the patient has experienced a blood coagulation. This type of blood clump causes risk and may be harmful in the fact that the blood stream is blocked which then causes the oxygen levels to significantly diminish.https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003828.htm

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technologist creates images, using computer-imaging systems, of the patient’s body to help the doctors diagnose and treat the patients’ illness and/or injuries. The MRI Technologist meets with the patients before the scan to explain medical procedures and answers questions they may have. They also collect medical information from the patient’s, family, and/or medical professionals and instruct the patient on what they need to do during the exam. Some MRI scan requires a medical substance for imaging which the MRI Technologist can administer. Once the image is taken, the MRI Technologist first processes the images, then checks the quality of the image and finally prepares summarized reports of the patient’s

MRI can also provide images of the cerebellum and determine whether it extends into the spinal canal. An MRI is often used to diagnose Chiari malformation. Since this pain less test is harmless, it can be done more than once, and explain progress with treatments [10]. Computerized Tomography (CT) uses X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of your body. A CT scan can help to reveal brain tumors, brain damage, bone and blood vessel abnormalities, and other conditions [10].

A computed tomography scan provides more detail images than a chest x-ray by creating cross sectional images, this images can help identify enlarge organs or lymph nodes in the neck, chest, abdomen and chest (American Cancer Society). During this test the patient is lays on a flat table that moves in and out of a donut shaped scanner that takes images in different angles. Sometimes contrast medium may be used to highlight abnormal areas in the body. If contrast medium is used, it is the nurse’s responsibility to establish a patent IV, check for iodine allergies, check for kidney function due to contrast nephrotoxicity, check for delay allergies after the procedure, and advise the patient to drink plenty of fluids to eliminate contrast (Leeuwen, Anne 2015). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is only used when spread to the spinal cord and brain are suspected (American Cancer Society). Positron emission tomography (PET) scan uses an IV contrast called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), this contrast is a form of glucose, and because cancer cells reproduce quickly they need more glucose, which is why this contrast highlights the areas where abnormal cells are (Cancer Society). PET scans can be used to monitor how well patients are responding to treatment therapies, they can help identify areas of the body with lymphoma that may appear clear in other tests such as biopsies or CT scans allowing patients to

A V/Q scan uses radioactive material to see how well air and blood are flowing to all areas of the lung. A pulmonary angiography is an accurate, invasive test that is used to diagnose pulmonary embolism. A trained specialist threads a catheter through the groin or arm to the blood vessels in the lung. A dye is then injected so that a picture can be taken of the blood flow through the blood vessels in the lungs. Not available at all hospitals, this test is administered by a trained specialist. A spiral CT scan is a special type of x-ray that takes pictures of structures inside the body. A doctor will inject a dye into a vein, which will allow the blood vessels in the lungs to be seen. This is a very quick test and results are available shortly after the scan is completed. A MRI is a test utilizing radio waves that shows pictures of organs and structures inside the body that may not show up on an x-ray. To check for blood clots inside the heart and to view heart function, an echocardiogram may be ordered. This test uses sound waves. It can also determine other possible causes for the symptoms that are being experienced. A D-dimer is a blood test that measures a substance in the blood that is released when a clot breaks up. High levels may indicate a clot. A

Modern medical technology allows physicians to capture detailed images of the body for diagnosing and treatment planning of various health issues. Radiologists use imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases. Interventional radiology is the performance of medical procedures with the guidance of imaging technologies. Acquisition of medical imaging is usually performed by a radiologic technologist and the results are interpreted by Radiologists, medical doctors that specialize in radiology. While Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography Scan (CT) are useful for diagnosing and treating illnesses, each has their own health risks and benefits.

As the administrator of the Radiology Department, I am not only in charge of managing day-to-day operations, but also have to develop the capital budget. Upon developing the capital budget, it was decided that the budget for the fiscal year would be one million dollars. As well as developing the budget, the task falls upon me to decide where the money will be allocated. Within an organization there are several budgets that arise such as, an expense budget, a revenue budget, and the one at hand, the capital budget. Unlike other budgets, the capital budget is one where one has to “select long-term assets, whose useful life is greater than one year… items typically include…routine capital equipment.” (Pg205). Two requests were submitted from the Mammography department, as well as the MRI department. Being placed in charge of making this decision, I now face the challenge of having to decide which departments request will be approved. Approving both requests would exceed the capital budget, due to the fact that both requests individually cost eight hundred thousand dollars. In order to come to a decision, as an administrator it is critical that I