Typical indications

• Clarification of cold or hot nodules
• Clarification of unclear thyroid laboratory value changes
• tumor diagnosis

Thyroid scintigraphy, diagnostics, and therapy are performed in close cooperation with our colleagues in private practice. One in three adults in Germany is affected by local symptoms of thyroid enlargement or the consequences of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Many people also have nodules in their thyroid gland. These can cause hyperfunction (hot nodules), for example, or in rare cases be malignant (usually cold nodules). This activity can only be detected with thyroid scintigraphy. Thyroid disorders tend to run in families. Not all changes in the thyroid gland are immediately noticeable. In this respect, it is advisable to have a check-up even if there are no symptoms, e.g., by determining the thyroid hormone level (TSH), performing an ultrasound examination, a scintigraphy, or, if necessary, a fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid gland. At Radiologie Baden-Baden, we offer patients both thyroid ultrasounds and thyroid scintigraphy.

The procedure requires only a low radiation dose and may only be performed by nuclear medicine specialists.

Typical indications

Heart function, cardiac blood flow
CHD
Myocardial scintigraphy is a functional nuclear medicine examination used to visualize and quantify blood flow in the heart muscle tissue (myocardium). Coronary heart disease (CHD) causes narrowing of the coronary arteries, which leads to reduced blood flow to the heart muscle tissue. While most examinations visualize the coronary arteries, myocardial scintigraphy is able to assess the target organ itself, i.e., the heart muscle tissue.

For this purpose, a small amount of a radioactive substance is injected intravenously under stress and at rest, which is distributed throughout the heart muscle tissue depending on blood flow. Using one of the most modern cardiac cameras in the world (D-SPECT), the first in our region, the distribution of the radioactive substance and thus the blood flow in the heart muscle is displayed in high resolution. The examination not only serves to diagnose and localize coronary heart disease, but also forms the basis for prognosis assessment and therapy planning.

The procedure requires only a low radiation dose and may only be performed by nuclear medicine specialists.

Typical indications

• Bone diseases, bone tumors, bone metastases
• bone inflammation
• rheumatic diseases

Painful joint changes can be caused by osteoarthritis or rheumatic disease. Skeletal or bone scintigraphy can be used to detect changes in bone metabolism before they are visible on X-rays. Other possibilities include assessing whether an artificial joint has become loose, whether there is an undetected bone fracture, bone inflammation, a bone tumor, or bone metastases. In addition, the entire skeletal system can also be assessed.

The procedure requires only a low dose of X-rays and may only be performed by nuclear medicine specialists.

Typical indications

• kidney function

In cases of impaired kidney function or urine flow through the urinary tract, the kidneys can be assessed separately using scintigraphy without the need for invasive procedures.

The procedure requires only a low dose of X-rays and may only be performed by nuclear medicine specialists.

Typical indications

• pulmonary embolism
• Lung assessment before surgery

In the case of pulmonary embolism, the blood flow in the lungs can be assessed separately on each side using scintigraphy without the need for invasive procedures. The technique is also used to assess the remaining function of the lungs, e.g., before lung surgery.

The procedure requires only a low dose of X-rays and may only be performed by nuclear medicine specialists.

Typical indications

• Representation of the sentinel lymph node for treatment planning
• Preoperative planning, e.g., for breast cancer, melanoma

Sentinel lymph node scintigraphy is a technique that allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery. The lymph node that is located closest to the downstream area of a tumor and is therefore usually the first to be affected by a tumor is called the sentinel lymph node. If this node is not affected, the probability that other lymph nodes are affected is relatively low. By visualizing the sentinel lymph node, it is possible to selectively visualize this lymph node, helping the therapist to safely remove it and examine it further. If it is not affected, in the majority of cases, patients can be spared extensive lymph node removal with possible consequences such as lymphedema, etc.

The procedure requires only a low dose of X-rays and may only be performed by nuclear medicine specialists.