We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Nuclear Imaging of a Pregnant Patient: Should We Perform Nuclear Medicine Procedures During Pregnancy?
- Authors
Bural, Gonca G.; Laymon, Charles M.; Mountz, James M.
- Abstract
Although it is extremely rare, nuclear imaging of a pregnant woman presents a unique challenge to the nuclear medicine physician because of the high concern for radiation risk to the embryo or the fetus. This challenge has been exacerbated due to recent heightened public concern of medical procedures involving radiation. This awareness also has been emphasized to the referring physicians to the extent that the risks of most nuclear medicine scans are overstressed relative to the benefit. Radionuclide procedures are reluctantly ordered by clinicians in pregnant patients, because of the malpractice fear or because of uncertainty regarding fetal radiation dose. However, when used appropriately, the benefits of nuclear imaging procedures usually outweigh the minimal risks associated with small amount of radiation even in pregnant patients.
- Subjects
NUCLEAR medicine; PREGNANT women; NUCLEAR medicine physicians; DIAGNOSTIC imaging; MEDICAL radiology; RADIOACTIVE tracers
- Publication
Molecular Imaging & Radionuclide Therapy, 2012, Vol 21, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
2146-1414
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.4274/Mirt.123