Division of Nuclear Medicine

The Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging provides comprehensive diagnostic nuclear imaging and radiopharmaceutical therapies. As a vital part of the Department of Radiology, the division aims to enhance patient care through the state-of-the-art functional imaging personalized to each patient. It is our commitment to achieve excellence in clinical care, medical education, and research to better serve our patients.

Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that uses small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose, determine the severity of, or treat a variety of diseases, such as cancer, infection, and gastrointestinal, neurological and endocrine disorders. Most nuclear medicine studies provide unique information that cannot be obtained by other methods.

Procedures and Services

The Division of Nuclear Medicine is located within the Department of Radiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Equipped to provide a full range of nuclear medicine examinations, the division operates seven gamma camera imaging systems, three general-purpose SPECT devices (including a hybrid SPECT/CT), and a dedicated thyroid probe.

A wide variety of pediatric and adult nuclear medicine examinations are provided including brain perfusion scans, thyroid and parathyroid scans, ventilation/perfusion lung scans, gastrointestinal scans (including bleeding scans and gastric emptying studies), renal scans, non-PET oncological imaging (including MIBG and Octreotide), and bone scans.

In addition, our physicians work collaboratively with endocrinologists and endocrine surgeons to provide radioactive treatment of thyroid cancer and benign thyroid conditions. We also offer radioactive therapies to treat prostate cancer, lymphoma, and neuroendocrine tumors.

Research

Our faculty members are dedicated to advancing the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging through clinical and basic science research. Research interests among the faculty are diverse, including hybrid parathyroid SPECT/4D CT parathyroid imaging, red blood cell storage, and tagged RBC scanning with CT angiography for gastrointestinal bleeding. We are also involved in multicenter clinical trials to evaluate new diagnostic/therapeutic radiotracers. Research from the division has appeared in professional journals, books, and book chapters. Our faculty also present their research at national and international nuclear medicine and radiology meetings.

Education

The Division of Nuclear Medicine offers a one-year, fully accredited ACGME fellowship program in nuclear radiology. In addition, residents in the diagnostic radiology program rotate through the division as part of their radiology training. Visit the Nuclear Radiology/Nuclear Medicine Fellowship page for more information.