Scintigraphy or nuclear medicine:
Scintigraphy was introduced in veterinary medicine in 1970s. It is highly sensitive and can detect bone damage much better than radiological identification. The technique is also being applied to evaluate vascular perfusion, pulmonary ventilation and muscle damage to measure cardiac out put and in intra-thoracic pathology. The scintigraphy involves the production of images following internal administration of radioactive pharmaceuticals to a patient. The two-dimensional image obtained by sophisticated gamma camera indicates the distribution of radioactive material in the body. Using advanced computer technology, these images can then be analyzed to provide both qualitative and quantitative data. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are advanced imaging techniques. Tomographic images of the organ or blood flow are generated using radioactive isotopes.