Nuclear Medicine

Department of Nuclear Medicine at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre

Established in 1977, the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre has been a pioneer in the country for this speciality. Being one of the 1st departments in nuclear medicine in the private sector, it has several firsts to its credit. Padmabhushan, Dr R.D. Lele, founder and director of this department was the one who introduced nuclear cardiology with the multiple-gated acquisition (MUGA) scans for the 1st time in the country. This department was also the 1st in the country to get a triple-head gamma camera and the 1st solid-state dedicated cardiac camera in Asia. 

Recently, a 5-ring 16-slice PET-CT scanner was also added to the list. Only 13 such machines exist in the world, one of which is now available at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre. By introducing somatostatin receptor PET-CT imaging in the private sector for the diagnosis and management of neuroendocrine tumours, the department not only cut short the time taken for a PET-CT scan but also reduced the time of the injected radiotracer to half, thereby decreasing the degree of radiation exposure to the patient. The department also features a 16-slice SPECT-CT scanner in the hospital. 

The Department of Nuclear Medicine is also known for introducing brain perfusion imaging in India. Recently, the department also got dopamine transporter (DaT) imaging for Parkinson’s disease for the 1st time in India. It also introduced peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for the treatment of inoperable somatostatin-positive neuroendocrine tumours such as carcinoids, insulinomas, pheochromocytomas and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. 

Earlier, patients had to travel to Europe for this therapy and incur a cost of €10,000 per cycle. For 3 cycles, they had to bear a total cost of over Rs. 20 lakhs. Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre offers this therapy to Indian patients for Rs. 1.5-2.6 lakh per cycle, amounting to Rs. 4.5 -7.8 lakh in total. Over 200 patients have received this therapy at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre to date. This therapy not only provided good control of their disease but also improved their overall quality of life.   

The Department of Nuclear Medicine offers every possible nuclear medicine diagnostic scan, including myocardial perfusion scan for coronary artery disease, brain scan for Alzheimer’s disease, thyroid scan, salivary scan, lung ventilation and perfusion scan, bone scan, kidney scan, liver and hepatobiliary scan, gastric emptying scan, lymphatic scan, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET-CT scan for cancer detection, staging and follow up for cardiac viability and neurology applications.  

The department also provides treatment for hyperthyroidism with radioiodine and sentinel-node detection for breast cancer as well as treatment of hepatic metastases with selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT). In addition, the department is also making a significant contribution to the diagnosis and management of cancer patients in India, apart from all other cardiac, neurological and infectious diseases. 

Apart from clinical services, the department is also heavily involved at the educational forefront. The Department of Nuclear Medicine trains 2 candidates per year for the Diplomate of National Board (DNB) degree in nuclear medicine. Over 40 candidates have graduated from the department and currently are heading various nuclear medicine departments across India. 

The Department of Nuclear Medicine is committed to providing the highest level of care to all patients. The department is proud to offer the latest advancements in nuclear medicine technology and treatment options and is dedicated to ongoing research and education to improve patient outcomes