Nuclear Medicine Department

Nuclear Medicine

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Nuclear Medicine

Introduction

Nuclear Medicine is a highly specialized super-speciality branch of medicine that combines diagnostic and therapeutic applications through the use of unsealed open radioactive tracers. It enables the evaluation of organ function at the molecular level (Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine) and the treatment of various diseases, particularly cancers, through Targeted Radionuclide Therapy. Therapeutic procedures include the use of radio-iodine (I-131) for conditions such as hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancers; Lu-177 DOTATATE for metastatic neuroendocrine tumours (Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy – PRRT); Actinium-225 for alpha therapies; Lu-177 or Ac-225 PSMA for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer; I-131 mIBG for Neuroblastoma and other neural crest tumours; Yttrium-90 microspheres for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); radiopharmaceuticals like Phosphorus-32 and Samarium-153 EDTMP for metastatic bone pain palliation; and procedures such as radiation synovectomy.

AIIMS Patna expanded its flying colour wings after joining of Dr. Pankaj Kumar as 1st faculty and Head of the department by introducing the most awaited advanced medical service branch in 2021 by inauguration of Department of Nuclear Medicine on 3rd December 2021 by Prof. (Dr.) P. K. Singh (Former Director of AIIMS Patna).

Dr. Pankaj Kumar joined as an Assistant Professor on 3rd June 2021 and established the department being the first faculty and Head. Under his leadership, the department underwent a comprehensive transformation fulfilling the radiation safety norms and rules of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Mumbai to provide almost all state-of-art Theranostic services to patients with utmost care and took approval from Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) Mumbai for Dedicated High dose Radionuclide therapy ward and Nuclear Cardiology Unit.

The department got the Operational Licence for SPECT-CT from AERB Mumbai. And now the department equipped with 128 slice PET-CT scanner and got the Operational License from AERB Mumbai for patient scanning on PET-CT scanner. And the Department of Nuclear medicine started providing patient services through both SPECT-CT and PET-CT scanners and low dose radio-iodine therapy for patients having hyperthyroidism (Grave’s disease, toxic MNG and AFTN) at an affordable cost.

Having a single doctor working as a Faculty and Head, the Department of Nuclear Medicine started Thyroid Clinic (Nuclear Medicine) to provide best patient care with utmost dedication to patients with thyroid disorders and post-operated cases of thyroid cancers – 1st of this kind in Bihar.

In addition to regular thyroid clinic, department runs special clinics - Palliative Nuclear Medicine (Metastatic Bone Pain Palliation) and NET & Prostate Clinic (Nuclear Medicine)

Infrastructure

The department is located in basement of OPD building having -

16 slice SPECT-CT (Gamma Camera)
PET-CT (128 slice)
Fume Hood for radio-iodine administration
Dedicated Radio-Pharmacy Labs for SPETCT-CT and PET-CT
Radio-active Dose Administration rooms for both SPETCT-CT and PET-CT
Active Patient waiting rooms with attached Active Toilets for SPETCT-CT and PET-CT
1 room for Nuclear Medicine Physician
1 room for Nuclear Medicine Technologist-cum-RSO
1 Reporting room
2 changing rooms for patients
1 PET patient preparation room
Thyroid Clinic (Nuclear Medicine)

Spectrum of Activities

Clinical:
Clinical services are given at out-patient setting through dedicated specialized clinics:
Thyroid Clinic (Nuclear Medicine) -
For patients having thyroid disorders -

Management of Hypothyroidism with Thyroid hormone Replacement Therapy
Management of Hyperthyroidism – Management with Anti-thyroid drugs and Radio-iodine Treatment on OPD basis for – Graves’ disease, Toxic Multi-nodular Goitre, AFTN

For post thyroidectomy cases of Differentiated thyroid cancers -

Management of low risk well-differentiated thyroid cancer with Radio-iodine scan and ablation
Radio-iodine scan with opinion for high risk thyroid cancer.
Management/Follow-up of patients with proper thyroid hormone suppression therapy

NET Clinic - Patients with metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumours can get opinion for THERANOSTICS (Scanning with Somatostatin Receptor Imaging using Ga-68 DOTATATE/DOTANOC/DOTATOC PET-CT & Management with Lu-177 DOTATATE - Peptide Receptor Radio-nuclide Therapy – PRRT)

Prostate Clinic - Patients having metastatic castration Resistant Prostatic cancer can get opinion regarding THERANOSTICS (Scanning with Ga-68 PSMA PET-CT/F-18 PSMA PET-CT and radio-ligand therapy)

Metastatic Bone Pain Palliation Clinic - Patients harbouring extensive bone metastases can get pain palliation using Radio-active Samarium-153 EDTMP as an OPD basis in the Dept. of Nuclear Medicine

Community Outreach Thyroid Awareness programme organized by Department of Nuclear Medicine:

Medullary thyroid cancer Awareness & Awareness about Thyroid disorders at Savarchuck Panchayat, Naubatpur, Patna on 11^th March 2022
Thyroid cancer Awareness Programme at Referral Hospital, Naubatpur, Patna on 27^th September 2022
Thyroid Awareness programme at Rajkiy Madhya Vidyalaya, Parsa Gaon, Naubatpur, Patna on 20^th January 2023
Thyroid Awareness programme at Rajkiy Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Danapur, Patna on 23^rd January 2023
Thyroid Awareness programme at Maulana Azad College of Engineering and Technology, Neura, Patna on 25^th January 2023

Thyroid Awareness through organizing -

WalkATHON on 2^nd January 2023
Nukkad-Natak (by Nursing Students of AIIMS Patna) at OPD foyer, AIIMS Patna on 24^th January 2023
Poster Making competition and Exhibition of Posters on Thyroid disorders on 30^th January 2023

Teaching & Training:

Periodical Radiation Safety training to radiation workers
Involvement of Faculty in teaching classes of JR and SR of other departments and Nursing students
Clinical teaching of PET-CT scans reading of SR and JR of other departments

Organized CME on "Thyroid disorders and thyroid cancers" on 25^th May 2022 at Auditorium, AIIMS Patna.

Faculty

SL No.	Name of Faculty	Designation

OPD Schedule and Specialty Clinics

Research and Publication

Events (Upcoming / Ongoing)

Gallery

Inauguration of Theranostic Nuclear Medicine Services on 18th April 2026

Inauguration of SPECT-CT (Gamma Camera) on 27th February 2026

Hybrid PET-CT Imaging Fellowship

Recognised among the Best Reviewers of Indian Journal of Nuclear Medicine

Department Inauguration

Email: nuclearmedicine@aiimspatna.org