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Technologists and Students. We provide Nuclear Medicine news, hot
topics, ARRT and NMTCB requirements, case studies, images and scans, as
well as employment opportunities.
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| Myocardial Perfusion |
| Gated Equilibrium |
| Thyroid Cancer Imaging |
| Thyroid Uptake |
| Parathyroid Imaging |
| Thyroid Imaging |
| Hepatobiliary Imaging |
| Gastric Emptying |
| Liver Spleen Imaging |
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| GI Bleeding / Meckel's Diverticulum |
| General Imaging |
| Use of Radiopharmaceuticals |
| Performance Guidelines |
| Telenuclear Medicine |
| Renovascular Hypertension |
| Gallium Imaging of Infection |
| Gallium Imaging of Tumors |
| Ceretec WBC Scan |
| In111 WBC Scan |
| Sodium F18 Bone PET |
| Bone Scan (tc99m MDP/HDP) |
| FDG PET Brain |
| Brain Death |
| Breast Imaging |
| FDG PET/CT Tumor Imaging |
| I131 Therapy |
| Palliative Bone Pain Treatment |
| Lymphoscintigraphy |
| Octreoscan |
| Pediatric Renal Scans with Lasix |
| Pediatric DMSA Renal Scans |
| Pediatric Sedation Procedures |
| Pediatric Cystography Imaging |
| Lung Perfusion Ventilation |
| Patient Information About Nuclear Medicine Procedures |
| Nuclear Medicine Imaging Safety Information: All molecular and nuclear imaging procedures are very safe. Unlike surgery, they are noninvasive, which eliminates an entire set of risks. In nuclear imaging procedures, the amount of tracer (radioactive material) used is extremely small, so radiation exposure is minimal—the amount of radiation in most nuclear medicine procedures is comparable to that received during a CT scan. Radiopharmaceuticals are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and prepared with great care. They are tested carefully prior to general use. Nuclear imaging has been used for more than five decades, and these procedures are free of known side effects. While exposure to radiation does involve risk, naturally occurring background radiation and modern activities such as watching TV and flying in an airplane all contribute to a lifetime exposure that is only slightly increased by medical imaging. The benefits of early and accurate diagnosis far outweigh any risk that exposure to this small quantity of radioactive material might entail. |
| What is Nuclear Medicine? |
| Nuclear medicine specialists use safe, painless, and cost-effective techniques to image the body and treat disease. Nuclear medicine imaging is unique, because it provides doctors with information about both structure and function. It is a way to gather medical information that would otherwise be unavailable, require surgery, or necessitate more expensive diagnostic tests. Nuclear medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities very early in the progress of a disease?long before many medical problems are apparent with other diagnostic tests. |
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Significant Points:
- Keen competition is expected for most positions.
- Technologists with training in multiple diagnostic methods, or in nuclear cardiology, should have the best prospects.
- Nuclear medicine technology programs range in length from 1 to 4 years and lead to a certificate, an associate degree, or a bachelor's degree.
- About 66 percent of nuclear medicine technologists work in hospitals.
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| Nature of the Work: Diagnostic imaging embraces several procedures that aid in diagnosing ailments, the most familiar imaging being the x ray. In nuclear medicine, radionuclides—unstable atoms that emit radiation spontaneously—are used to diagnose and treat disease. Radionuclides are purified and compounded to form radiopharmaceuticals. Nuclear medicine technologists administer radiopharmaceuticals to patients and then monitor the characteristics and functions of tissues or organs in which the drugs localize. Abnormal areas show higher-than-expected or lower-than-expected concentrations of radioactivity. Nuclear medicine differs from other diagnostic imaging technologies because it determines the presence of disease on the basis of metabolic changes, rather than changes in organ structure. |
| Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement: Nuclear medicine technology programs range in length from 1 to 4 years and lead to a certificate, an associate degree, or a bachelor's degree. Many employers and an increasing number of States require certification or licensure. Aspiring nuclear medicine technologists should check the requirements of the State in which they plan to work. |
| Employment: Nuclear medicine technologists held about 21,800 jobs in 2008. About 66 percent of all nuclear medicine technologist jobs were in hospitals—private and public. A majority of the rest were in offices of physicians or in medical and diagnostic laboratories, including diagnostic imaging centers. |
| Job Outlook: Faster than average. Employment change. Employment of nuclear medicine technologists is expected to increase by 16 percent from 2008 to 2018, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will arise from technological advancement, the development of new nuclear medicine treatments, and an increase in the number of middle-aged and elderly persons, who are the primary users of diagnostic and treatment procedures. |
| Earnings: The median annual wage of nuclear medicine technologists was $66,660 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $57,270 and $78,240. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $48,450, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $87,770. The median annual wage of nuclear medicine technologists in general medical and surgical hospitals was $66,320. |
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