Patient-related pitfalls and artifacts in nuclear medicine imaging

Quality control in nuclear medicine is all important. This applies not only to preparation of the patient and acquisition of the image, but also to interpretation of the study. Although it may seem self-evident, it is important to remain aware of artifacts that are directly related to the patient and need special consideration. Furthermore, at times the distinction between normal variants and artifacts can be difficult. Commonly encountered patient-related artifacts include artifacts caused by attenuation, contamination artifacts, and artifacts caused by intravenous lines, tubes, and catheters. Less commonly, artifacts arise because of the use of multiple isotopes, the presence of fistulas or surgically altered anatomy, and pharmaceuticals and other substances interfering with expected radiopharmaceutical uptake and distribution. The diagnostic accuracy of nuclear medicine reporting can be improved by awareness of these patient-related artifacts. Both awareness and experience are also important when it comes to detecting and identifying normal (and abnormal) variants.