In the diagnosis of complex diseases often require additional, more in-depth studies using specialized drugs and equipment. To similar researches carry and a scintigraphy.
What is a scintigraphy?
Scintigraphy is a radionuclide diagnostic method that helps visualize inorganic structures.
The procedure of scintigraphy is used for the study of pulmonary structures, kidneys and bone tissue, brain, heart, etc.
The procedure is available only in highly qualified clinics or medical centers, since specialized and expensive equipment is required for it. Such equipment is available only in the largest regional centers and metropolitan cities.
Scintigraphic research is safe and highly informative, therefore it is gaining popularity.
Scintigraphy video:
Indications
The main indication for scintigraphy is the suspicion of a certain pathological process against the background of an already existing disease for:
- Estimates of the degree of organ damage;
- Definitions of the type of progression of pathology;
- Estimates of efficacy of prescribed therapy.
Depending on the affected area, scintigraphy examines various inorganic objects: digestive or excretory, pulmonary and cardiovascular, hematopoietic and bone, cerebrospinal or spinal, lymphatic system.
In fact, every scintigraphic study is a characteristic of the organ under investigation, since the radiopharmaceutical is accumulated in actively functioning cellular structures.
Therefore, the scintigram is a functional anatomical image, which distinguishes it from other diagnostic procedures like MRI, ultrasound or radiography.
This is why one of the mandatory conditions for scintigraphy is the fact that the tissues to be examined must be at least limited, but active. But the appointment of radionuclide diagnostics of liver structures with coma of the liver is meaningless.
Contraindications
- The scintigraphic study is categorically contraindicated in pregnancy, because the use of radio preparations can lead to pathological abnormalities in the development of the fetus.
- HS during this diagnosis is stopped for several hours or days, depending on the type of drug used.
- For children, scintigraphic examination is not contraindicated, but it is recommended to use drugs with the shortest decay period, for example, Technetium 99Tc m or iodine-123.
- The procedure is contraindicated in the presence of allergic intolerance to the radiopreparation used in diagnosis.
Features of radioisotope research
Scintigraphic diagnostics is widely used in many branches of medicine: oncological, therapeutic, cardiological, surgical, etc.
In other words, radioisotope diagnostics is carried out when it is necessary to obtain a functional image of the organ under investigation.
Kidney
Nephroscintigraphy is performed in patients with suspected tumor processes in the kidney and genitourinary structures, to determine the type and nature of the tumor, to assess the quality of chemotherapy, when anomalies in the development of the organ are detected.
Before the procedure, additional preparation is necessary, in which the patient is administered a specialized labeling substance. It is done with the help of intravenous injections. The procedure is painless, does not cause discomfort.
Sometimes a doctor to improve the quality of the procedure gives the patient a special solution that must be drunk 3 hours before the diagnosis. That's what you need to spread the solution throughout the body, namely the kidneys.
In the process of diagnosis, the specialist is in the next room. The procedure takes about one and a half hours, during which the subject should be in a stationary position. Compliance with this requirement makes it possible to exclude errors in the evaluation of results.
Specialist is the entire procedure in the next room, watching the patient and, if necessary, adjusting the position of his body. When diagnosing children during the procedure, the parent is constantly near the child. For adults, you need to use a lead apron.
In general, nephroscintigraphy is a diagnostic technique that determines the state of renal function.
Only a doctor can prescribe the procedure and if there are special indications. After processing the results, the doctor will be able to detect the pathological process as early as possible, which increases the chances of recovery.
Liver and gallbladder
Scintigraphic examination of the biliary and hepatic system allows to evaluate the functionality of the gallbladder and determine the status of bile-forming hepatic activity.
In addition, a similar study allows early development to determine the development of mechanical jaundice, including in newborns
Lung
Pulmonary scintigraphy is a radiological diagnosis that includes functional and visual evaluation of blood circulation in capillaries using radiopharmaceuticals, the spread of which is determined by gammachambers.
Usually pulmonary scintigraphy is performed to detect violations of perfusion of the lungs such as pneumosclerotic process, obstruction or pneumonia, tumor lesions or PE.
Mammary glands
Mammotscintigraphy is a highly sensitive radiological diagnostic method that allows to reveal tumor processes in dairy fermented tissues.
Cellular structures of tumoral neoplasms are distinguished by their tropicity to radio preparations, therefore at the scintigraphy the centers of accumulation of the preparation are easily revealed, indicating the presence of a malignant tumor that can not be detected with normal palpation.
In addition, mammotsintigrafiya allows:
- To identify lymph nodes affected by metastases;
- To determine the sensitivity of the formation to chemotherapeutic and radiation exposure;
- Timely detection of tumor relapse.
The procedure, like other types of scintigraphy, is performed using radiotherapy, which is administered intravenously, and a gamma camera that tracks the distribution of the drug to the organ and records the images obtained during the study.
Price for whole body scintigraphy
The cost of scintigraphic procedures depends on the area of the study. In the capital's clinics, for example, you can go through such studies:
- Mammotsintigrafiya - 1500-9800 rubles;
- Scintigraphy of adrenal and renal structures - 1000-13000 rubles;
- Study of the liver - 1300-14900 rubles;
- Radionuclide diagnosis of the lungs - 1300-12800 rubles;
- Scintigraphy of the skeleton - 2600-11900 rubles.
In this video, we will talk about the scintigraphic method in diagnosing liver and bile duct damage: