Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine uses small amounts of radioactive material (isotopes) to diagnose and sometimes treat disease. This is accomplished by injection, inhalation or swallowing pills. The isotope then goes to the area of interest, which is scanned to obtain images. Nuclear Medicine is used to show how different organs function, or to evaluate disease.
 

PET/CT:  Cutting Edge Diagnostic Imaging
Jupiter Medical Center is the first hospital in Florida to offer the Discovery ST Elite, a redesigned PET/CT system completely optimized for cancer care, as well as for neurologic and cardiac imaging. Located at JMC’s Outpatient Imaging Center, this $2.3 million system integrates a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner with a 16-slice Computed Tomography (CT) scanner and is capable of 2D and 3D imaging with a larger bore for all patient studies or sizes. This Discovery ST Elite system provides physicians with more sensitivity, speed, resolution and diagnostic confidence when treating cancer patients.

The “ST” in Discovery ST Elite stands for “See and Treat,” which is what this new system allows physicians to do. Built from the ground up with Six Sigma methodology, the Discovery ST Elite assists our physicians in seeing the disease and planning radiation therapy treatment. The new Discovery ST Elite system will shorten scan times as well as provide improved image quality in both 2D and 3D modes.

One of the major advantages of this system is its ability to perform respiratory gated studies – a unique feature only available at Jupiter Medical Center.  This feature is beneficial because it enables physicians to more accurately determine the precise size, location and diagnosis in studies where the patient’s respiration typically “distorts” the image.  Consequently, this feature helps further improve the quality of care for our patients.

GE’s Discovery ST Elite combines the fastest and most sophisticated computed tomography (CT) technology with the most advanced Positron Emission Tomography (PET) technology – all in a single exam. PET creates images of high metabolic activity in the body, rather than creating images of anatomy only. CT scans allows our doctors to see the internal structures within the human body. Together, a PET/CT scan allows our physicians to view metabolic activity and pinpoint where abnormal lesions are located so that they may target the disease.

Nuclear Camera
In the Nuclear Medicine department, JMC recently acquired a General Electric INFINIA Dual Head Camera. This is the first nuclear medicine system developed via the Six Sigma design methodology.   Highlights of this latest generation of nuclear cameras include: Elite detector Technology that optimizes image quality; unparalleled clinical flexibility that combines open detector design and functionality; and, a Xeleris workstation that utilizes advanced Ignite technology.  This newer technology means faster image acquisition and processing for the physicians and patients.