Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine is an advanced imaging technique that detects and treats health conditions at a cellular level. This technique uses small amounts of radioactive materials to find diseases early, attack certain tumors or plan your treatment.
At Trinity Health Michigan, our experienced team performs nuclear medicine procedures every day. We use the latest, most advanced methods and follow proven guidelines to ensure your safety.
How to Schedule
To schedule an appointment in Southeast Michigan, please call:
- Ann Arbor, Livingston, Chelsea, Brighton, Canton areas: 734-712-1313
- Livonia area, including Schoolcraft: 734-655-2961
- Oakland, Lake Orion, Clarkston, West Bloomfield areas: 248-858-3777
To schedule an appointment in West Michigan, please call:
- Greater Grand Rapids: 616-685-4000
- Muskegon & Lakeshore: 231-672-4800
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Find a Trinity Health Michigan Imaging location near you below. Or talk to your primary care provider about a referral.
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Nuclear Medicine at Trinity Health Michigan: Why Choose Us?
We provide the latest nuclear medicine procedures at our locations across Southeast and West Michigan. You receive safe, effective care from our team of highly trained technologists and board-certified radiologists.
Our radiologists carefully read and interpret your images. Their training and expertise lead to timely, accurate results.
We’re here to make your experience less stressful. Our team provides compassionate care throughout the process. We answer your questions and provide warm blankets, cushions and pillows to keep you comfortable.
Nuclear Medicine Services We Provide
Nuclear medicine tests available through Trinity Health Michigan include:
PET Scan
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan detects activity in certain cells or tissues. This test can help diagnose heart disease, brain conditions or certain types of cancer.
SPECT-CT
During this scan, our experts combine single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with a highly detailed CT scan. Using these imaging methods together produces sharper images. SPECT-CT helps providers accurately diagnose tumors, pinpoint tumor locations and perform tumor removal surgery.
DaTscan
This imaging test is an innovative way to diagnose Parkinson’s disease (PD). A DaTscan uses SPECT imaging and a special isotope that detects changes in dopamine levels in the brain. This test can also distinguish between essential tremor and tremor due to PD.
Tumor Imaging and Treatment
Our radiologists, oncologists and radiation oncologists work as a team to provide leading-edge nuclear medicine treatment for tumors. Many of these innovative therapies are not widely available in Southeast or West Michigan.
These treatments allow our team to deliver radiation directly to the tumor. The radiation is powerful yet highly precise and targeted, so there’s less damage to surrounding, healthy tissue. Our treatments include:
- Radioactive iodine (RAI or I-131) to treat thyroid cancer
- Therasphere™ to treat unresectable (can’t be removed surgically) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of the liver
- Xofigo® to treat prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormonal treatment or surgery
- Zevalin to treat some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
How to Prepare for Your Nuclear Medicine Test
Our team calls you before your appointment to discuss how to prepare for your scan. You can also raise any concerns and questions you have. General preparation guidelines include:
Bone Scan
You usually do not need to prepare for this test. Please bring any previous radiology exam results with you if they were not done at Trinity Health Michigan.
Three hours before your bone scan, you get an injection of the isotope (radioactive material). You wait in our imaging center while the isotope takes effect. Then your technologist takes you to the exam room for your scan.
Cardiac Scan
If you’re having a cardiac (heart) scan, you need to:
- Avoid caffeine for 24 hours before your appointment.
- Stop taking all beta blockers 24 hours before your appointment.
- Stop eating and drinking six hours before your appointment.
Gastric Emptying
This test measures how long it takes for food to empty out of your stomach. To prepare for gastric emptying, stop eating and drinking eight hours before your appointment.
When you arrive, we provide you with a meal consisting of egg whites, toast with jam and 8 ounces of water. An isotope is usually included with your meal. Then, you lie down on an X-ray table for the test. We take images immediately after you eat and at regular intervals over the next four hours.
Thyroid Scan
If you recently had a CT scan with iodine contrast material, you must wait four weeks before having a thyroid scan. To prepare for your test:
- Stop taking thyroid hormone medications five weeks before your test.
- Do not take antithyroid medications for three days before your test.
- Do not take any vitamins or supplements for three days before your test.