MCR's Division of Nuclear Radiology performs a wide array of diagnostic studies and procedures, including the following:

General nuclear medicine: With dual head whole body camera and single head general purpose camera, we perform general nuclear imaging such as bone scan, V/Q, HIDA, gastric emptying, liver spleen (sulfur colloid), leukocyte (infection), gastrointestinal bleeding, renal and thyroid imaging. With a triple head SPECT camera, we perform such studies as Octreotide, Prostascint, hepatic hemangioma, sestamibi for parathyroid adenoma, gallium, bone and brain SPECT.

Procedures:

Therapeutic 131Iodine thyroid ablation for hyperthyroid, e.g., Graves Disease.

Cisternograhy (e.g., normal pressure hydrocephalus, cerebrospinal fluid leak).

Lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel lymph node imaging in patients with melanoma and, in collaboration with MCR's Division of Breast Imaging, in patients with breast carcinoma. Also, spearheaded by MCR Breast Imaging and the Norfolk General Hospital Breast Center, a pilot program is underway using a separate, dedicated breast gamma camera investigating scintimammography using sestamibi.

Cardiac: Using multiple separate dedicated cardiac dual head SPECT cameras in collaboration with cardiology, we perform dual isotope, EKG-gated cardiac nuclear stress imaging in addition to thallium viability studies and MUGA scans.

PET: As a partner in the PET Institute of Hampton Roads, MCR interprets 50% of studies performed at the center. These are predominantly whole body 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) studies in oncology and also include brain PET.

Radiologists:
Lester Johnson, M.D., Division Chief
Patsy Loiacono, M.D.
Lamar Smith, M.D.
Kathy Byun, M.D.