Nuclear Medicine
Radiation is used in nuclear medicine and radiology. In nuclear medicine, radioactive materials known as radioisotopes, or radiopharmaceuticals, are introduced into the body. In radiology, X-rays enter the body from outside.
Nuclear medicine in diagnosis
Nuclear medicine is used to diagnose a wide range of conditions.
The patient will inhale, swallow, or be injected with a radiopharmaceutical. This is a radioactive material. After taking the substance, the patient will normally lie down on a table, while a camera takes pictures.
The camera will focus on the area where the radioactive material is concentrated, and this will show the doctor what kind of a problem there is, and where it is.
Types of imaging techniques include positon emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
This type of imaging is particularly helpful for diagnosing thyroid disease, gall bladder disease, heart conditions, and cancer. It can also help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia and brain conditions.
In the past, diagnosing internal problems often needed surgery, but nuclear medicine makes this unnecessary.
After diagnosis, and when treatment starts, PET and SPECT can show how well the treatment is working.
PET and SPECT are also offering new insights into psychiatric conditions, neurological disorders, and addiction.
Other types of imaging involved in nuclear medicine include targeted molecular ultrasound, which is useful in detecting different kinds of cancer and highlighting blood flow; and magnetic resonance sonography, which has a role in diagnosing cancer and metabolic disorders.
