NUCLEAR MEDICINE UNIT
25.02.2020

In our department  we have  3 nuclear medicine specialists, 1 general practitioner, 2 device technicians, 1 secretary and 1 cleaning staff.

DEPARTMENT SERVICE SCOPE AND EQUIPMENT  STATUS :

Our hospital's Nuclear Medicine Department carries out imaging and treatment activities within the scope of service procurement. In this context, there are 2 double-headed gamma camera systems and auxiliary equipment, 1 treadmill stress test system, warm rooms and equipment, radiation treatment and we have the neccesary measurement and protective equipment for safety.

SUPERVISED AND CONTROLED USAGE AREAS IN THE DEPARTMENT:

Radiopharmaceutical Laboratory: It is the place where radiopharmaceuticals used in Nuclear Medicine studies are produced and made ready for use. In a warm room, there is a working module with radiopharmaceuticals, fume cupboard, lead-protected glass and storage chamber, work counters, a sink, a refrigerator where kits are stored, a fixed, alarm and hand-held radiation monitor and other necessary minor operating and radiation safety accessories. . This area is a controlled radiation field. It is not used except for the personnel in charge and it is monitored by the field monitor. Staff in charge must strictly comply with radiation safety issues in this area.

Injection Chamber: It is the place where patients are preliminary and radiopharmaceutical injection is applied (injection is performed under the camera for dynamic shots). This area is the supervised radiation area and the personnel in charge must strictly apply the issues regarding radiation safety while being in this area.

Radioactive Waste Storage: It is the storage area where radioactive waste generated within the department is kept until it reaches medical waste status. Radioactive wastes accumulated in lead radioactive waste boxes in special plastic bags with appropriate materials and signs are stored in this area until the radiation dose falls within the limits stipulated by the relevant regulation. This area is a controlled radiation field and should not be used except for personnel in charge. The personnel in charge should strictly follow the radiation safety issues while being in this area.

Radioactive Patient Waiting Room and Radioactive Toilets: Radioactive patient cards are attached to patients who have received radioactive material for examination purposes, and they are taken to the private radioactive patient waiting room until shooting in the imaging room. There are two toilets for radioactive patients right next to this room. These areas are controlled radiation areas and should be measured regularly. The personnel in charge should strictly follow the radiation safety issues while being in this area.

Effort test and gamma camera imaging rooms: Radioactive material applied or will be applied (dynamic examinations) are the areas where necessary treatment and imaging are performed. These areas are the supervised radiation area and the personnel in charge must strictly apply the radiation safety issues while being in these areas.

Other areas: Application secretariat, non-radioactive patient and visitor hall, staff room etc. are other areas. These areas are supervised radiation.

EXAMINATIONS AND TREATMENTS APPLIED IN OUR DEPARTMENT:

* Thyroid scintigraphy

* Thyroid uptake test

* I-131 full body scan

* Parathyroid scintigraphy DUAL PHASE

* Dynamic-Static kidney scintigraphy (MAG3)

* Parathyroid scintigraphy SPECT

* Bone scintigraphy THREE PHASE

* Kidney cortex scintigraphy PLANAR (DMSA) * Bone scintigraphy SPECT * Kidney cortex  scintigraphy SPECT (DMSA)

* Bone scintigraphy ALL BODY

* Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy GATED SPECT * Radioactive iodine therapy (hypertroid and goiter treatment)

* Gamma Probe studies (parathyroid, thyroid)

* Radionuclide synevectomy (Hemophilic and other synovial hypertrophies)

DEPARTMENT WORK FLOW PROCESS:

At the beginning of the day, after the cleaning control, device calibration, material and equipment control are done, the preparation of the daily radioactive materials is completed. Depending on the daily work list by the department secretariat, the patient preparation phase is started. In line with the created patient follow-up list, examinations are started to be carried out respectively. In-department work flow is also regularly monitored and checked for suitability and glitch detection. In case of patient compliance, timing or a problem with the device, the necessary procedures are initiated to fix the problem quickly by performing the problem determination. At the same time, the work list is revised and the patients and their relatives are informed about the subject.

REPORTING

The images of the patients whose shooting procedures were completed in our department were evaluated by the specialists of our department; Reporting is completed within the next business day for inpatients and the majority of other patients. If the image evaluation process is prolonged for various reasons, the reporting process is completed within 2 business days. Patient reports and images are delivered to patients through the department secretariat.