Nuclear Medicine Technology BS

at North Central College

Nuclear medicine is an interdisciplinary field that combines chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and computer technology to uniquely provide information about both the structure and function of virtually every major organ system within the body. It is this ability to characterize and quantify physiologic function which separates nuclear medicine from other imaging modalities.  With the development of new radiopharmaceuticals, treatments and the exciting technology of PET/MRI, PET/CT and SPECT/CT hybrid imaging, the nuclear medicine field has grown significantly over the past years and is expected to grow even more in the future.

Daily tasks of a nuclear medicine technologist include: Prepare and administer radioactive chemical compounds known as radiopharmaceuticals; perform patient imaging procedures using sophisticated radiation-detecting instrumentation; perform computer processing and image enhancement functions; provide images, data analysis and patient information to the physician for diagnostic interpretation; prepare patients for imaging procedures and radioactive therapy; apply knowledge of radiation physics and safety regulations to radiation safety; and, utilize quality control techniques as part of the quality assurance program.