Nuclear Medicine

Supporting You With Specialized Care

Star Valley Health partners with Heart Care Imaging to provide our community with nuclear medicine.

Nuclear Medicine is a highly specialized area of radiology. Using very small amounts of radioactive materials, nuclear medicine allows for the examination of organ function and structure. This branch of radiology is used to help diagnose and treat disease in the early stages, which often allows for better outcomes.

The radioactive substance – called a radionuclide or radioactive tracer – is absorbed into the body tissue, and radiation is given off. By measuring the behavior of the tracers during a nuclear scan, your healthcare provider can assess and diagnose various conditions such as tumors, hematomas, infections, organ enlargement and function, and blood circulation. The amount of radioactive substance given to a patient during a procedure is miniscule.

We Provide:

Myocardial Perfusion Scan (Nuclear Stress Test): used to assess blood circulation throughout the heart muscle
Bone Scan: typically used to detect infections or spread of cancer
Hida Scan: used to view the function of the gallbladder, liver, bile ducts, and small intestine
Lung (V/Q) Scan: used to view lung function to help diagnose certain lung problems such as clots, as well as to see the flow of blood or air through the lungs
Gastric Emptying: used to determine how quickly food leaves the stomach to detect blockages
Parathyroid Scan: used to determine the function and health of the parathyroid gland
Thyroid Uptake and Scan: provides information about your thyroid’s size, shape, position, and function

For more information about nuclear scans, please contact our Nuclear Medicine department at 307-885-5083, or our Radiology department at 307-885-5822.