nuclear medicine

• The thyroid gland is the largest endocrine organ, located at the base of the neck.
• Nuclear Medicine is a specialized area of radiology that uses radioactive materials or radiopharmaceuticals to examine a body organ’s function and structure.
• Radioactive materials, also known as Radionuclides, are used in Nuclear Medicine.
• Once the position has been changed, the patient will need to lie still without talking.
• The patient will be allowed to leave, unless the healthcare provider gives different instructions.
• After the scan is complete, the IV line will be discontinued.
• Nuclear Medicine is used to treat abnormalities very early in the progression of a disease.
• A Radiotracer is a substance with a specific dosage and very minimal amount of radiation which targets a specific organ in the body.
• The diagnostic and clinical process in Nuclear Medicine involves the use of Radiotracers.
• Complications of radiation exposure in Nuclear Medicine include hair loss.
• Nuclear Medicine does not impose any harm.
• Radionuclides or radioactive substances emit particles.
• Cardiac scan, also known as scintillation camera, has a half-life of 6-8 hours but depends on the radionuclide and is eliminated through sweat and urine.
• The patient is asked to lie down to the machine after the injection of the radiotracer.
• It is possible to have two or more different number of neutrons.
• The number of electrons and proton is always equal.
• The number of neutrons is always equal to the number of electrons.
• The radiotracer is injected to the palpable vein in the antecubital fossa.
• The most common radiotracers include Tc-99m PO4 (Technetium Pertechnetate), Iodine-131, Tc-99m HDP (Hydroxydiphosphonate), and Tc-99m Sestamibi.
• The site of venipuncture for cardiac scan is the antecubital fossa.
• If the atom is unstable, it becomes radioactive and forms a radiation that the collimator uses to form an image.
• Hotspot in Nuclear Medicine refers to the appearance of radiation; more amount of radionuclide concentrates in a certain area.
• Common Nuclear Medicine diagnostic procedures include Thyroid Scan, Whole Body Iodine Scan, Bone Scan, Myocardial Perfusion Imaging, PET (Positron Emission Tomography), Scintimammography - breast, Renal Scintigraphy, and HIDA (Hepatobiliary Scan).
• Coldspot in Nuclear Medicine refers to the area where less absorbed or did not absorb totally the radionuclide, resulting in less bright on the scan image.
• Radiotracers are used to be “tagged” to a substance that is organ specific once injected into the body through vein.
• Increase or decrease of atomic mass is due to neutrons mass.
• If the proton and the neutrons stay inside the atom, it is stable and does not emit radiation.
• The atomic mass is the sum of neutrons and electrons or proton; combination of neutrons and electrons.
• Gamma camera does not contain radiation and is the main Nuclear Medicine equipment.
• Nuclear scans are used to diagnose many medical conditions and diseases.
• Nuclear medicine imaging is a combination of many different disciplines including chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer technology, and medicine.
• By measuring the behavior of the radionuclide in the body during a nuclear scan, the healthcare provider can assess and diagnose various conditions, such as tumors, infections, hematomas, organ enlargement, or cysts.
• Nuclear imaging enables visualization of organ and tissue structure as well as function.
• Several different types of radionuclides are available including forms of the elements technetium, thallium, gallium, iodine, and xenon.
• The type of radionuclide used will depend on the type of study and the body part being studied.
• Single photon emission computed tomography, or SPECT, produces axial "slices" of the organ in question because the gamma camera rotates around the patient.
• A tiny amount of a radioactive substance is used during the procedure to assist in the exam.
• A nuclear scan may also be used to assess organ function and blood circulation.
• The areas where the radionuclide collects in greater amounts are called "hot spots".
• In planar imaging, the gamma camera remains stationary and the resulting images are two-dimensional (2D).