The Nuclear Medicine department at Rex Healthcare offers a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. At this time they are the only department in Wake County that has received accreditation from the American College of Radiology. Raleigh Radiology physicians provide professional services for Rex Hospital's Radiology Department.
Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday
6 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
On call 24 hours per day, 7 days a week for emergencies.
Contact Information
For additional information, please call (919) 784-3041.
Nuclear Medicine Procedures Currently Offered at Rex Hospital
- Hida Scan
- Hida Scan with CCK
- Cardiac Stress Test
- Gastric Emptying Scan
- Meckles Scan
- GI Bleeding Scan
- Parathyroid Scan
- Thyroid Scan
- Thyroid Uptake
- Whole Body Scan
- Thyroid Therapy
- Lung Scan
- Sentinel Node Mapping-Breast and Melanoma
- Renal Scan
- Cystogram VCUG
- Bone Scan
- Liver-Spleen Scan
- Gallium Scan
- Prostascint Scan
- MIBG Scan
- Neotect Scan
- Oncoscint Scan
- Octreoscan
- Cisternogram
- White Blood Cell Scan
Additional Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are common procedures in nuclear medicine?
Some of the most common procedures are bone scan, Muga scan and stress test.
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Will I need to do anything special before the procedure?
Each test in nuclear medicine requires special instructions. Bone scans require a patient to be well hydrated. Muga scan has no prep. Stress test requires a patient to be NPO. Some medication that you are currently on may need to be stopped for some of the test.
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What is a bone scan, and how can it help me?
A bone scan is a nuclear medicine test that allows the doctors to see the skeleton in one picture. It is best used to define the anatomy such that, if there are any concerns about the bone, it can be seen.
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What is a stress test of the heart?
A stress test will allow the doctors to look for arteries in the heart that may be blocked. The test will be done in a resting phase as well as an exercise phase which may require the patient to walk on a treadmill.
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What is a MUGA scan?
A MUGA scan (multigated acquisition scan) is a nuclear medicine scan that evaluates the pumping action of the heart. It may be ordered by your doctor before starting any cancer treatment because the chemotherapy drug can weaken the heart wall muscle.
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Will the radiation from the nuclear medicine test be harmful?
The amount of radiation exposure from a nuclear medicine test is very small, and the effects go away within hours of the test being completed.
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How long should I expect to be at the hospital for a nuclear medicine test?
Most nuclear medicine tests require an injection, a wait time, then a scan time. Expect to be in the Radiology Department for 2-3 hours for a nuclear medicine test.
Gregory A. Bortoff, MD, PhD
Abdominal Imaging Radiologist
- Head of Computed Tomography (CT) at Rex Hospital
- BS, Cornell University
- MD, PhD, State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse
- Resident in radiology, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
- Fellowship in abdominal imaging, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
- Member, Radiological Society of North America
- Member, American Roentgen Ray Society
- Native of New York
Expertise in abdominal imaging, including MRI, MRA, ultrasound, oncologic imaging, and PET/CT
Joined Raleigh Radiology in 1999
Jerry L. Watson, MD
Abdominal Imaging Radiologist
- BS with honors, Johns Hopkins University
- MD, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
- Resident in radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Fellowship in abdominal imaging, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Chief of Radiology, 67th Combat Support Hospital, United States Army, Germany 1996–1998
- Native of Georgia
Expertise in abdominal imaging, including MRI, MRA, ultrasound, breast intervention, oncologic imaging, and PET/CT
Joined Raleigh Radiology in 1999
Laura O. Thomas, MD
Abdominal Imaging Radiologist
- Head of Rex Breast Care Center at Rex Hospital
- Radiologist Recruiter
- BA, Princeton University
- MD, Duke University Medical School
- Internship in internal medicine, UNC Hospitals
- Chief resident, Duke University Medical Center
- Fellowship in women’s and abdominal imaging, Duke University Medical Center
- Native of Missouri
Expertise in breast imaging, breast intervention, abdominal imaging, oncologic imaging, and PET/CT
Joined Raleigh Radiology in 2003
John G. “Jay” Alley, Jr, MD
Neuroradiologist
- Vice Chief of Radiology at Rex Hospital
- BA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program, Columbia University, New York
- MD, University of North Carolina School of Medicine
- Co-chief resident in diagnostic radiology, University of North Carolina Hospitals
- Fellowship in neuroradiology, University of North Carolina Hospitals
- Native of North Carolina
Expertise in neuroradiology
Joined Raleigh Radiology in 2004
Andrew G. Moran, MD
Nuclear Medicine Radiologist
- Head of Nuclear Medicine Radiology at Rex Hospital
- BS, Idaho State University
- MD, Utah School of Medicine
- Residency, Duke University Medical Center
- Fellowships in body imaging and nuclear radiology, Duke University Medical Center
- Member, Society of Nuclear Medicine
- Native of California
Expertise in abdominal imaging, oncologic imaging, nuclear medicine and PET/CT
Joined Raleigh Radiology in 2006
Kirk Peterson, MD
Abdominal Imaging Radiologist
- BS, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University-Tallahassee, FL
- MD, University of South Carolina School of Medicine
- Resident in radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Fellowship in abdominal imaging, Duke University Medical Center
- Member, Radiological Society of North America
- Member, American Roentgen Ray Society
- Member, American College of Radiology
- Native of Florida
Expertise in abdominal imaging, including MRI, MRA, and ultrasound
Joined Raleigh Radiology in 2010
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