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The Queen's Medical Center

Nuclear Medicine

QMC
Imaging services
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The Queen’s Medical Center

1301 Punchbowl Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

Scheduling Phone:
808-691-7171

Pre-Registration:
808-691-4960

Fax: 
808-691-7007

» Locations » Hospitals & Locations » Queen's Medical Center » Services » Imaging Services » Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine at The Queen's Medical Center

Queen’s Imaging at The Queen’s Medical Center offers the largest and most active nuclear medicine department in Hawaii.

Nuclear medicine imaging procedures are noninvasive and usually painless procedures that help Queen’s physicians diagnose medical conditions or treat a variety of diseases, including many types of cancers, heart disease and certain other abnormalities within the body.

Unlike other imaging techniques, nuclear medicine imaging studies are less about picturing anatomy and structure, and more concerned with depicting physiologic processes within the body, such as rates of metabolism or levels of various other chemical activity. PET Scans are a type of nuclear medicine procedure.

Nuclear medicine imaging scans are performed to:

  • Analyze kidney function
  • Determine the presence or spread of cancer in various parts of the body
  • Evaluate bones for fractures, infection, arthritis and tumors
  • Identify bleeding into the bowel
  • Identify inflammation in the gallbladder
  • Investigate abnormalities in the brain, such as seizures, memory loss and abnormalities in blood flow
  • Localize the lymph nodes before surgery in patients with breast cancer or melanoma
  • Locate the presence of infection
  • Measure thyroid function to detect an overactive or underactive thyroid
  • Scan lungs for respiratory and blood flow problems
  • Visualize heart blood flow and function, as in a myocardial perfusion scan done as part of a nuclear cardiology stress test

These procedures are usually performed on an outpatient basis, but are often ordered for hospitalized patients as well.

Preparing for Your Procedure

  • Transportation: No special preparations are required for this test. You will be able to drive home after this test.
  • Food and Drink: You may eat normally, unless other instructions have been given.
  • Medications: Inform your physician and the technologist performing your exam of any medications you are taking, including vitamins and herbal supplements. You should also inform them if you have any allergies and about recent illnesses or other medical conditions.
  • Clothing: You may be asked to wear a gown during the exam or you may be allowed to wear your own clothing.Jewelry and other metallic accessories should be left at home if possible, or removed prior to the exam because they may interfere with the procedure.
Special Instructions for Nuclear Cardiology Stress Test

Radiation Exposure from Pet Scans and Other Imaging Procedures

Read our brochure to learn more about exposure to ionizing radiation from imaging tests compared to naturally occurring background radiation.

Read Brochure
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The Queen’s Health System
1301 Punchbowl Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

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