SPECT/CT
Northwest Medical Center – Springdale is the first to offer complete SPECT/CT services in Northwest Arkansas. This new diagnostic imaging technology provides quality images giving your doctor a more complete picture of your condition.
What is a SPECT/CT exam?
A single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) exam is a type of medical imaging that shows functional information and anatomical structures together. The two different types of images are taken during one exam and the pictures are merged together to provide more precise information about how your body is functioning and to identify any problems.
Why is it used?
A SPECT/CT exam is usually ordered to diagnose or find out more about a specific disease state in the body. The SPECT portion of the exam reveals how organs, tissues or bones are functioning at the cellular level, and the CT portion of the exam provides information such as size, shape and location. Combining these together enables physicians to accurately diagnose and identify various diseases and conditions within the body.
A SPECT/CT exam can be helpful for patient care in:
Is it safe?
All SPECT/CT systems use small amounts of ionizing radiation that pass through your body to create an image. The technology provides the right low dose for each individual patient while still maintaining the excellent image quality physicians need. Since the SPECT/CT scan does use a low dose of radiation, talk with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about your risk of exposure.
Why choose SPECT/CT?
The SPECT/CT’s capabilities allow us to offer additional treatment options for patients with conditions related to:
One example is the difference between the SPECT/CT versus a general nuclear camera. This technology makes cardiac studies as accurate as a heart catheterization and is a preferred method for precise imaging by radiologists and specialists.
What happens at my appointment?
The technologist will help you get into the correct position. The SPECT camera detectors will move closer to your body and rotate around you. The gantry, or patient table, will move slowly. The technologist may ask you to hold your breath, and you’ll hear a low whirring sound as the exam takes place. It’s very important that you try not to move during the exam. The exam takes approximately 30-60 minutes.
When will I receive my results?
After your exam is complete, a radiologist will review it and send a report to your doctor. You should contact your doctor to discuss the results.
Your SPECT/CT exam checklist
- Remove all metal objects, such as a belt or jewelry.
- Bring images from previous examinations (including X-rays) with you.
- Speak to your healthcare provider to find out if a SPECT/CT exam is right for you.
Y90 Treatment
Northwest Medical Center – Springdale is the first in Northwest Arkansas to offer Y90 using SPECT/CT. Y90 treatment, also known as radioembolization, is a minimally-invasive procedure used to treat chemotherapy-resistant liver cancer that cannot be surgically removed.
By utilizing radiation to target the tumors without affecting normal tissue, this outpatient procedure may be used with traditional cancer treatments including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgery.
The imaging team at Northwest Medical Center – Springdale works with the oncology team to schedule the best time to start therapy when it’s recommended. While not a cure, it has been shown to:
- Slow tumor growth
- Alleviate symptoms
- Help extend the lives of patients with inoperable tumors
- Help improve a patient’s quality of life
Talk to your physician for more information or to learn if Y90 treatment is right for you.