Bruce J. Barron

Nuclear Medicine Specialist

2159 Tillingham Court Dunwoody Georgia, 30338 Show map

About
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About

Dr. Bruce Barron practices Nuclear Medicine in Dunwoody, Georgia. Dr. Barron uses procedures and treatments that apply molecular imaging and molecular therapy. Nuclear Medicine Physicians are trained and certified to provide such procedures as skeletal imaging, glucose metabolic imaging, brain perfusion, blood pool imaging, and thyroid imaging, among many others.

Education and Training

University of South Florida College of Medicine

Board Certification

American Board of Pediatrics- Pediatrics; American Board of Internal Medicine- Nuclear Medicine

Provider Details

MaleEnglish 50 years of experience

Bruce J. Barron

Bruce J. Barron's Expert Contributions

My Answers

Is a nuclear medicine technologist a doctor?
No. A nuclear medicine technologist usually has a bachelor’s degree. There are some certificate programs. Typically training is for 2 years. READ MORE
Why would someone get radionuclide therapy?
Radionuclide therapy RNT is used for a number of cancers. For treating metastatic thyroid cancer, I-131 is used For treating neuroendocrine tumors Lu-Dotatate is given IV For treating bleeding joints in hemophiliacs P-32 can be injected into the joints For treating liver cancers Y-90 labeled microspheres are injected into the hepatic artery. For treating prostate cancer Lu-PSMA can be given There are numerous therapies using radiolabeled antibodies to treat other cancers, mostly used in Europe. READ MORE
How is nuclear medicine changing the pandemic?
We have stopped doing some studies because of the pandemic. We are no longer doing studies which involve exercise or respiration testing. We are doing pharmacologic stress instead of exercise. We are no longer doing ventilation studies. We do image Covid positive patients, but only at the end of the day as equipment needs to be decontaminated for 4 hours. We do not do outpatient procedures that are not urgent on patients that have tested positive for Covid within 2 weeks. READ MORE
How has nuclear medicine changed from the pandemic occurring?
We have decreased our volume and have tried to put off studies for the future. Given that Covid appears to be here for a while, we are scheduling all. The major changes involve the switching from exercise stress testing to pharmacological stress. For the ventilation/perfusion lung scan,we have eliminated the ventilation portion of the study and added a CT. READ MORE
Is nuclear medicine an essential service?
Nuclear medicine is some form has been around since about 1950. Many studies initially performed by nuclear medicine techniques have been replaced by modern technologies. When it comes to molecular imaging and diagnosis the presence of tumors or metastatic disease, nuclear medicine has an edge an is therefore considered essential. Lung perfusion imaging to look for pulmonary embolism is still a vital service performed by NM. The future of NM will likely involve radionuclide therapy of cancer and endocrine disorders. Our service is extremely busy with 13 nuclear medicine physicians. We would like to think of ourselves as essential. READ MORE
Can being around nuclear medicine affect your mental state?
No. There is no relation. Sometimes anxiety about being near radiation can cause altered states but there is no direct effect. READ MORE
Is nuclear waste being dumped into the ocean?
Depends where. Those with nuclear reactors sometimes are forced to release radioactivity into the water. World health organizations monitor, but not certain countries. READ MORE
How is nuclear medicine utilized underwater?
The only application I know of is when scientists try to determine the volume of a pool of liquid. By putting in a known amount of radioactivity and allowing it to disperse, scientists can then sample the water and determine volume. Geologists use this to determine the size of oil reserves. READ MORE
Can you work in nuclear medicine if you have existing lung problems?
Yes, assuming you are upright and not on oxygen. There are no lung biohazards from nuclear medicine imaging. READ MORE
Is nuclear medicine used in wars?
Nuclear medicine is not an arsenal. There have been instances in which radionuclides have been gathered an used in a dirty bomb. Some radionuclides have been used in poisoning. For the most part NM concerns itself with imaging of disease and treatment of disease. READ MORE
How does the virus respond to nuclear medicine?
There is no effect from virus on nuclear medicine studies, and there is no effect on virus from nuclear medicine studies. READ MORE
Is PPE limited in nuclear medicine?
No. Nuclear Medicine uses prescribed PPE for patients and technologists. There is no real shortage of protective gear. READ MORE
What are the nuclear imaging practices during the virus?
During this crisis, only urgent studies will be done. To qualify, a study must be needed within a 30 day time frame. Of course emergency studies will be done. The lung scan protocol has been changed to do perfusion studies only. All Covid positive patients will be evaluated to determine if imaging is necessary. If so, those patients will be done at the end of the workday under strict PPE guidelines. Rooms must be sanitized and cannot be used for 2 hours afterward. READ MORE
Is nuclear medicine toxic to the lungs?
There are very few tracers that go to the lung. Xenon which is use to test ventilation has a very short effective half life. That is there is very little time spent in the lung. Other tracers that go to the lung have a 6 hour half life and do not cause much radiation. Some of the older tracers did cause more radiation in the lungs. The tracers used for imaging lung cancers have a 2 hour half life and the radiation dose is not considered excessive. The simple answer to the question is no. READ MORE
Is it safe to be working in nuclear medicine with the coronavirus?
We are exposed to sick patients. However there is significant screening before a patient is sent for a nuclear medicine study. When necessary we can put on protective clothing. READ MORE
Can you work in nuclear medicine if you have pre-existing respiratory conditions?
There is no contraindication for people with respiratory ailments. However, if someone is coughing all of the time, it may look bad to the patient. The radiation exposure is minimal and should not affect lung disease. READ MORE
What types of masks are used for handing nuclear waste?
Most nuclear waste does nor aerosolize. If there is aerosol formation the isotope is handled under a vacuum hood. Masks do not protect from radiation, but if it is tagges to particles a mask might work. READ MORE
Does exposure to nuclear medicine affect your oral health?
No. However, if you are treated with radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer, one usually gets dry mouth and increased risk of cavities. READ MORE
What major in college do you choose for nuclear medicine?
Typically a pre/med or science based major. Courses that are helpful are mathematics, computer sciences, chemistry, biology and physics. If you would like to become a technologist, check with schools to learn requirements. If you are going into medicine, these subjects are required for medical school. READ MORE
Why do a nuclear medicine stress test?
When deposits form in the coronary vessels, it may decrease the flow to the heart. Cardiac catheterization can tell the amount of narrowing but not the functional significance. For the nuclear stress test a patient is stressed by exercise or drugs. If there is a functional narrowing of a vessel, there will be decreased blood flow to the area supplied by that vessel. We see that as decreased counts or brightness on the pictures. If that abnormality goes away when the heart is at rest, that means there is ischemia to that region and that vessel will likely need to be fixed. READ MORE