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CNMT Robby S. Belanger prepares a patient to be diagnosed with athe Gamma Camera |
InHealth Imaging, a medical imaging clinic in Poulsbo, has recently expanded its diagnostic capabilities with the addition of nuclear medicine to its imaging services.
“The machine was installed four weeks ago,” said Dr Manfred Henne, founder and medical director of InHealth Imaging. “We now offer the full spectrum of standard nuclear medicine.”
Nuclear medicine is one of a number of imaging technologies, such as X-rays, CT scans and MRIs, which allow physicians to create images of the body’s interior for diagnostic purposes. Typical uses of nuclear medicine include performing bone scans, thyroid scans and cardiac scans.
Generally speaking, nuclear medicine combines computers, detectors and radioactive substances to create an image of body functions that doctors and radiologists can analyze.
“A radionuclide attached to a pharmaceutical is injected into a vein. The injection accumulates in the body part we wish to study,” said Dr Henne.
Once the radioactive substance is injected, a device called a “gamma camera” is used to locate areas where the substance has accumulated and the images created are analyzed by radiologists and physicians.
The main difference between nuclear medicine and other imaging technologies, said Dr Henne, is that “nuclear medicine gives information about the function of tissue, whereas CT scans and MRI scans show the structure.”
For example, in a bone scan, the injected radioactive substance collects in areas of the bone tissue with high metabolic activity, so the image produced shows “bright spots” of high activity and “dark spots” of low activity.
“There’s a high turnover rate of bone tissue if the bone is repairing due to a fracture or cancer,” said Dr Henne.”
Seeing these areas of high activity can also be effective for detecting bone tumors, as tumors typically have a high metabolic rate.
To properly operate this new imaging department Dr., Henne has hired Robby S. Belanger, CNMT. Belanger has worked in the health care profession for more than 25 years, and has been working specifically in the diagnostic imaging and nuclear medicine fields for 17 years.
“Quality equipment and quality, experienced staff provides for the best patient care available,” said Dr Henne.
Prior to InHealth Imaging’s addition of nuclear medicine to its medical imaging capabilities, North Kitsap and Bainbridge Island patients were forced to travel to East Bremerton or Seattle if they required nuclear medicine to assist with their diagnosis.
“Travelling for patients, especially the elderly, can be difficult,” said Belanger. “The convenience of having this in North Kitsap is good for patients.”. | 
