Page 23 - SONO 260 Chapter 12 The Neck
P. 23
NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND
THYROID NODULES
• Nuclear medicine utilizes scintigraphy to classify thyroid nodules as either hyperfunctioning or hypofunctioning.
• A radiopharmaceutical that is high in iodine is injected into the patient.
• Since the thyroid utilizes iodine to create its hormones, the drug is absorbed by the thyroid gland.
• Images are obtained with a camera that detects radioactivity within the neck.
• The thyroid tissue, along with thyroid nodules, is displayed on the image obtained.
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