Introduction

The Department of Nuclear Medicine of Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital was established in 1958, making it one of the earliest pioneers of radionuclide therapy in China. It was also the first in the country to open a dedicated radionuclide therapy ward. Today, the department holds recognition as National Key Clinical Specialty, Shanghai Top-priority Key Discipline, and Shanghai Medical Key Discipline.F urthermore, it functions as a leading center for master's and doctoral training in imaging medicine and nuclear medicine at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and operates as a standardized training hub for nuclear medicine residents and specialists in Shanghai. As a member of the Nuclear Medicine Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and a deputy leader in the Therapeutic Group, the department integrates clinical practice, scientific research, and medical education, providing comprehensive services in nuclear medicine imaging diagnosis and radionuclide therapy.

Currently, the department has 4 SPECT/CT units, 2 PET/CT units, 1 gamma camera, 2 thyroid function testers, and a 25-bed radionuclide treatment ward. Among them, "131I treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer" stands out as the department's primary advantage and characteristic project. Its diagnostic and treatment capabilities are at the forefront nationwide, with over 1,200 patients with thyroid cancer treated with 131I discharged annually.

Specialties

1. ¹³¹I treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer: The department currently operates 25 open ¹³¹I treatment beds, with a leading scale and level of diagnosis and treatment in the country. Over 1,200 patients with thyroid cancer treated with ¹³¹I are discharged annually, with an annual outpatient volume of about 20,000. Particularly noteworthy is the ¹³¹I treatment of lung and distant metastases, such as bones, where the sample size and technical level are internationally leading. The department was the first in China to implement 131I-SPECT/CT image fusion technology for diagnosing thyroid cancer metastases and molecular targeted drugs for treating 131I-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. Relevant results have won the second prize of the Chinese Medical Science and Technology Award.
2. ¹³¹I treatment of primary hyperthyroidism: This method offers a simple approach with certain efficacy, a low recurrence rate, minimal side effects, and good safety. It is especially suitable for patients with significant thyroid gland enlargement who have not responded to or have relapsed after treatment with drugs like Propylthiouracil, or have experienced reduced white blood cells, impaired liver function, or allergies. Currently, ¹³¹I is the most cost-effective method for treating hyperthyroidism.
3. ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y application treatment: Mainly used for treating skin keloids and children's hemangiomas, this method is simple, effective, and safe, with few side effects. It is the only department among major hospitals in Shanghai to carry out this therapy, treating over 5,000 patients annually.
4. ⁸⁹Sr treatment of metastatic bone tumors: Primarily used to alleviate pain from bone metastases caused by malignant tumors (such as prostate cancer, breast cancer), this method offers long-lasting pain relief.
5. ¹⁸FDG-PET/CT imaging: Mainly employed for preoperative assessment of malignant tumors (staging and grading), systemic evaluation of postoperative recurrence and metastasis, assessing the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for lymphoma and other malignant tumors, and locating primary tumor lesions. It can identify tumor recurrence and scars, aid in delineating biological target areas for radiotherapy, assist in distinguishing benign and malignant tumors, and screen high-risk tumor groups. Additionally, non-tumor applications include fever investigation, inflammation and infection, rheumatic immune diseases, neurological and psychiatric diseases, and myocardial viability determination. Leveraging the hospital's orthopedic expertise, the main features include ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT for diagnosing and evaluating the efficacy of orthopedic implant-related infections and diagnosing bone and soft tissue tumors.
6. SPECT and SPECT/CT imaging: Encompassing whole-body bone imaging, three-phase bone imaging, kidney dynamic imaging, thyroid imaging, parathyroid imaging, myocardial perfusion imaging, lower limb deep venous reflux imaging, lung perfusion imaging, parotid gland dynamic imaging, etc. Notable features include SPECT/CT imaging of bone tumors and osteoarthropathy, thyroid and parathyroid imaging, and renal dynamic imaging.