8 nuclear medicine physicians across Orange County. Browse by city or filter by insurance and telehealth.
8
Nuclear Medicine Physicians
100%
Accepting patients
88%
Most common: MD
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
Orange County's healthcare is surprisingly decentralized for a metro of 3.2 million. There's no single dominant system. Instead, Hoag, Providence, MemorialCare, Kaiser, and UCI each control different slices of the county. The result is genuine competition, which generally benefits patients, but it also means your choice of insurance plan heavily shapes which providers you can see.
Orange County has 8 nuclear medicine physicians. The most common credential is MD (88%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
OC is organized around freeway corridors. The I-405 spine connects Huntington Beach through Costa Mesa to Irvine. The I-5 runs through Tustin, Mission Viejo, and down to San Clemente. Most major hospital campuses sit within a mile of a freeway on-ramp. North OC (Fullerton, Anaheim) and South OC (Mission Viejo, San Clemente) each have their own hospital anchors, so most residents don't need to cross the entire county for care.
Providers practice throughout Orange County. Newport Beach is hoag Hospital Newport Beach is the flagship of the Hoag system, with dense specialist offices along Superior Avenue and the Newport Center medical corridor. Huntington Beach is huntington Beach Hospital (Prime Healthcare) and multiple urgent care centers serve this large coastal city. Hoag and MemorialCare are a short drive. Costa Mesa is home to several large medical office buildings along Harbor Boulevard, with proximity to Hoag Irvine and UCI Medical Center. Laguna Beach is a small community that relies on Mission Hospital Laguna Beach for ER care and Newport/Irvine for most specialist appointments.
Nearby hospitals include UCI Medical Center, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, and CHOC Children's Hospital. Local training programs run through University of California, Irvine and Chapman University. Orange County has over 7,500 practicing physicians serving a population of 3.2 million across 34 cities.
For a diagnostic scan, a technologist injects a small amount of radioactive tracer into your vein. After a waiting period (which varies by study), you lie on a scanning table while a camera detects the tracer's distribution in your body. The scan itself is painless. The nuclear medicine physician interprets the images and sends a report to your doctor. Radiation exposure is low and the tracer is eliminated naturally within hours to days.
New to OC? Your insurance plan is the most important factor. Hoag and Providence are in most PPO networks. Kaiser operates its own facilities in Anaheim and Irvine. UCI Medical Center is the academic option and the only Level I trauma center in the county.
You typically do not see a nuclear medicine physician directly. Your treating doctor orders nuclear medicine studies when needed. Common reasons include cancer staging (PET/CT), evaluating thyroid function, assessing blood flow to the heart (cardiac stress test), detecting bone metastases or fractures (bone scan), and evaluating kidney function. For radioactive iodine therapy for thyroid disease, you will consult with a nuclear medicine or endocrinology specialist.
PET/CT scan: $1,000-6,000 · Bone scan: $500-2,000 · Thyroid uptake scan: $200-1,000 · Cardiac nuclear stress test: $500-3,000
Orange County, CA has 8 licensed nuclear medicine physicians. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of nuclear medicine physicians in Orange County, CA are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
A PET/CT scan costs $1,000 to $6,000. A bone scan runs $500 to $2,000. A thyroid uptake scan costs $200 to $1,000. A cardiac nuclear stress test ranges from $500 to $3,000. Actual costs in Orange County, CA depend on the provider and your insurance plan. PET scans almost always require prior authorization. Ensure the imaging center is in-network and that authorization is obtained before the study. Outpatient imaging centers may offer lower costs than hospital-based facilities.
Orange County doesn't have a single dominant health system. Hoag (Newport, Irvine) is the most recognized brand. Providence (Mission Viejo, Fullerton) covers north and south county. MemorialCare (Fountain Valley, Laguna Hills) serves the central corridor. UCI Health is the academic center. Kaiser runs a closed network. Your insurance determines which systems are available to you.
63% of nuclear medicine physicians in Orange County, CA accept Medicare. Medicare covers nuclear medicine studies when medically indicated. PET scans for cancer require prior authorization and must meet specific clinical criteria. You can filter for Medicare-accepting providers on FindClarity.
Some nuclear medicine physicians in Orange County, CA accept Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid covers nuclear medicine studies in all states when medically necessary. Prior authorization is standard for PET scans and expensive studies. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm Medi-Cal participation before scheduling.
Nuclear medicine studies are ordered for specific diagnostic needs. Most patients have them infrequently. Cancer surveillance patients may have periodic PET scans as recommended by their oncologist. With 8 nuclear medicine physicians in Orange County, CA, you can search on FindClarity to find a provider who fits your schedule.
CalOptima is Orange County's Medi-Cal managed care plan. It serves about 900,000 residents and contracts with local hospitals and providers. If you're on Medi-Cal in OC, you're enrolled in CalOptima and choose a primary care provider from their network. CalOptima also runs a behavioral health program and a long-term care program.
Westminster and Garden Grove, home to Little Saigon, have the highest concentration of Vietnamese-speaking providers in the country. You'll find Vietnamese-language medical, dental, and mental health practices along Bolsa Avenue and Brookhurst Street. Many providers in surrounding cities (Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach) also speak Vietnamese.
Nuclear medicine studies are covered under diagnostic imaging benefits. PET/CT scans almost always require prior authorization from your insurance company. Studies must be deemed medically necessary. Some insurers restrict PET scan coverage to specific cancer types or clinical scenarios. Verify authorization before the study to avoid unexpected costs.