Radionuclide imaging of the heart

[Justin Bieber]

In radionuclide imaging, a tiny amount of a radioactive substance (radionuclide), called a tracer, is injected into a vein. The amount of radiation the person receives from the radionuclide is tiny. The tracer emits gamma rays, which are detected by a gamma camera. A computer analyzes this information and constructs an image to show the different amounts of tracer taken up by tissues.

Radionuclide imaging of the heart is particularly useful in the diagnosis of chest pain when the cause is unknown. If the coronary arteries are narrowed, radionuclide imaging is used to learn how the narrowing is affecting the heart