When conventional imaging is not enough to fully explain a patient’s condition, nuclear medicine can provide critical additional information to guide clinical decision-making. By assessing physiological activity on top of structure, nuclear medicine allows us to localise pain, inflammation, tumour activity, and other biological processes with greater precision.
Our nuclear medicine team uses advanced tools including SPECT-CT to reduce diagnostic uncertainty and support more confident treatment planning. MediPaws is home to the only SPECT-CT scanner for clinical veterinary use in the Sydney region, providing superior functional and anatomical insight when standard imaging findings are ambiguous.
Sydney’s only veterinary-commissioned SPECT-CT
MediPaws is home to the only SPECT-CT scanner in the Sydney region commissioned specifically for clinical veterinary use. Combining nuclear imaging with detailed CT anatomy in a single study allows us to localise active disease with exceptional precision.
Dedicated radioiodine therapy program (I131)
We offer specialist-led radioiodine (I131) treatment for feline hyperthyroidism. Radioiodine allows us to target abnormal thyroid tissue while preserving healthy tissue – avoiding daily medication or invasive surgery in many cases.
Light-filled containment facilities, designed for comfort
Our purpose-built nuclear medicine ward is designed with a spacious and light-filled containment area. This helps maintain a comfortable and stress-free environment for patients undergoing radioactive treatments.
A snapshot of the main services and procedures we offer. Ask your vet about the full range of care at MediPaws.
Our dedicated nuclear medicine service features the only veterinary-commissioned SPECT-CT in the Sydney region, combining anatomical detail and functional insight in a single study to clarify complex conditions such as cancer, organ disease and unexplained lameness.
A nuclear medicine scan involves giving a pet a tiny amount of a specialised medication called a radiopharmaceutical (also called a tracer). For a short time, the tracer emits a small signal that can be detected by a dedicated camera. That camera then creates images showing how a particular organ system is working, for example, bone activity, blood flow, thyroid function, or tumour behaviour.
X-rays and CT create images using a beam of radiation that passes through the body to form a picture of structure: essentially, what things look like.
Nuclear medicine works differently. The tracer creates a small signal from within the body, and the camera detects that signal. This means nuclear medicine can show function and biological activity, which is often exactly what we need when symptoms don’t match the findings on standard imaging, or when we’re trying to localise a problem.
In many cases, these tests are complementary:
Used together, they can make a diagnosis more confident and a treatment plan more targeted.
A radiopharmaceutical is a medication with two parts:
The tracer amount is extremely small. Pets cannot feel the radiation signal. Most tracers used for imaging decay quickly, typically over hours, and pets usually go home the same day of their scan.
SPECT-CT is a combined scan that merges two different kinds of information into one set of images:
When these images are fused, the scanner overlays the functional “signal map” from SPECT onto the detailed anatomical map from CT, so areas of “increased activity” can be localised anatomically.
The scan itself is quiet, non-invasive and painless.
For pets, the main practical issue is stillness. Depending on the type of study, this may involve sedation or a short general anaesthetic that we’ll discuss with you beforehand. We’ll recommend the safest, least intensive option that still produces high-quality images.
The scan involves a small, carefully controlled radiation dose from the tracer. In many cases, this exposure is comparable to the kind that people receive during air travel.
We use nuclear medicine when the expected benefit – clearer diagnosis and better decision-making – outweighs the small exposure risk. Wherever possible, we also consider alternatives such as ultrasound or MRI when they can answer the same clinical question.
For most diagnostic scans, any restrictions are minimal. Occasionally, depending on the tracer used and the study performed, we may recommend simple precautions for a short period, for example, limiting prolonged close contact with infants or pregnant people, or specific handling guidance for toileting.
Upon discharge from the hospital, we will give you clear, written instructions tailored to your pet’s study.
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