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Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

Nuclear Medicine

 

Attending the Nuclear Medicine Department

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are some additional visiting restrictions in place within the Radiology department. Please check the restrictions here before attending.

 

Nuclear Medicine

Reception: 01604 545449

 

How to find us

From the South entrance, turn left onto the Hospital Street corridor and continue along the corridor. The Nuclear Medicine Department will be on your right hand side.

From the Billing Road entrance, proceed along the corridor until you reach a T-Junction. Turn left and follow the corridor bearing right and continue past the Oncology Centre until you come to the Hospital Street junction. Turn left and the Nuclear Medicine department will be located along the corridor on your left hand side past the Restaurant.

Click here for the hospital map

A broad range of investigations is offered that includes all of the common radionuclide studies, and a number of specialist studies not offered elsewhere in the region. This service is delivered by a mix of Nuclear Medicine physicians, technicians and radiologists who hold the Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC) licence.

Radionuclide imaging involves the administration of a small quantity of radioactive material to provide functional information for a given clinical situation.

Referring clinicians should indicate the precise clinical problem requiring investigation since this will determine which radionuclide (or alternative) investigation is used.

The radiation doses imparted by most NM techniques compare favourably with those of many other imaging investigations regarded as 'safe'.

PET-CT

PET-CT is a rapidly expanding service provided at NGH in partnership with the private sector. A mobile system attends outside the Elderly Medicine department 1–2 days per week to allow prompt and timely scans. Access to this very advanced technology is facilitated through multidisciplinary teams, with reading of the scans performed by specialist consultant radiologists.

By appointment only:

Monday to Friday 08:30 to 16:30

Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays

Scan results

Once your scan has been completed it will be examined by a Consultant or Senior Radiologist who will report the results to the person who referred you. You will be notified of the result as follows:

  • If you were referred directly by your General Practitioner (GP), you should telephone your GP's practice two weeks after your scan
  • If you were referred by a clinician at NGH, you will, unless you have been given alternative arrangements, receive a letter from the clinic advising that:
  • you should return for further consultation, or
  • you should be given a programme of specific exercises or treatment, or
  • there is no need for further action

If you are concerned that you have not heard from the clinic, please contact your clinician's secretary. You will not hear back directly from the Nuclear Medicine Department.