What is thyroid scintigraphy?
Thyroid scintigraphy is a nuclear medicine procedure that produces a visual display of functional thyroid tissue based on the selective uptake of various radionuclides by thyroid tissue.
What is used in thyroid scintigraphy?
Radioactive iodine is typically used in thyroid tests, including a thyroid scan. Your thyroid and most types of thyroid cancer absorb iodine naturally. The radioactive iodine builds up in your thyroid tissue. A gamma camera or scanner detects the radioactive emissions.
How is thyroid scintigraphy done?
A nuclear medicine thyroid scan uses a radioactive medication (radiopharmaceutical) to take pictures or images of the thyroid gland. The radiopharmaceutical is injected into a vein, usually in the arm, and enters the thyroid gland from the circulating blood.
What is Tc 99m thyroid scan?
The 99m Tc Thyroid Scan test is performed to assess the functioning of thyroid gland. A radiotracer dye called Tc-99m pertechnetate is injected and its uptake by the thyroid gland is measured. Results of the 99m Tc Thyroid scan are assessed and interpreted with other biochemical and immunological studies.
What radionuclide is used in thyroid scan?
Iodine-123 and technetium (99m Tc) are the most commonly used radionuclides for thyroid imaging. The major limitation of thyroid radionuclide scanning has been its inability to distinguish between benign and malignant thyroid nodules with high accuracy.
Which radioisotope is used for thyroid scan?
Actual scanning time for a thyroid scan is 30 minutes or less. You will be given radioactive iodine (I-123 or I-131) in liquid or capsule form to swallow. The thyroid uptake will begin several hours to 24 hours later. Often, two separate uptake measurements are obtained at different times.
What is a radionuclide thyroid scan?
Thyroid scan and uptake uses small amounts of radioactive materials called radiotracers, a special camera and a computer to provide information about your thyroid’s size, shape, position and function that is often unattainable using other imaging procedures.
What is TC 99 used for?
Technetium-99m is used to image the skeleton and heart muscle in particular, but also for brain, thyroid, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, gall bladder, bone marrow, salivary and lachrymal glands, heart blood pool, infection and numerous specialized medical studies.
What is the difference between technetium 99m and technetium 99?
Technetium-99 is produced during nuclear reactor operation, and is a byproduct of nuclear weapons explosions. Technetium-99m is a short-lived form of Tc-99 that is used as a medical diagnostic tool. It has a short half-life (6 hours) and does not remain in the body or the environment for long.
How do you do radioiodine uptake?
The test is done in this way: You are given a pill that contains a tiny amount of radioactive iodine. After swallowing it, you wait as the iodine collects in the thyroid. The first uptake is usually done 4 to 6 hours after you take the iodine pill.