Nuclear technology for diagnosis of diseases, treatment and sterilisation of medical equipment. Brought to you by the WNU Olympiad 2019.
Most people don't take nuclear medicine exams so positively. They think radiation is deadly but in the real sense it has helped to solve global problems in many fields including medicine.
Nuclear Medicine began approximately 50 years ago and is an excellent diagnostic tool that shows not only the anatomy of an organ or body part, but the function of the organ as well.
A trace amount of radioactive material is introduced into the patient and is then detected by a machine called a gamma camera.Nuclear Medicine is extremely valuable in the early diagnosis of numerous medical conditions.
With the aid of a computer, images are captured based on the detection of energy emitted from a radioactive substance previously given to the patient orally, through inhalation or intravenously. Possible reasons for a Nuclear Medicine procedure may be:
Evaluate bones for tumor or trauma/fractures
Determine the presence or spread of cancer
Analyze kidney function
Image blood flow and function of various organs
Evaluate function of liver and gallbladder
Test for various blood disorders
Test blood flow to the lungs, specifically to identify blockage of flow from blood clots
Evaluate blood flow to the heart and the heart function
Measure stomach emptying
Most of the low-level radiopharmaceutical passes out of your body through natural urine or stool processes.
In therapeutic nuclear medicine (radionuclide therapy), the unique characteristics of radioactive materials (radioisotopes) are used for therapeutic irradiation of cells and/or organs. Typically, a small amount of a radiopharmaceutical* is introduced into the body by injection or ingestion. The radiopharmaceutical is attracted to particular organs or tissues. From their locations within the body, the radioisotope releases small amounts of energy (radiation) which will act on cells (target cells) and/or organs (target organs). This irradiation can be for the purpose of a curative treatment (for instance thyroid cancer), palliative treatment (for instance for bone pain) or to reduce an organ’s function (for instance an over-active thyroid).
* Radiopharmaceuticals are molecules or chemicals that are attached to a small amount of radioactive isotope that once administered to the patient are able to specifically localize within organs and/or organ systems in health and disease
Some common procedures
Treatment of over-active thyroid
Treatment of thyroid cancer
Palliative treatment of bone pain caused by metastatic cancers
Treatment of blood disorders
Chronic inflammatory rheumatism
Treatment of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma
Radiation kills germs that can cause disease and neutralizes other harmful organisms. Sterilization with ionizing radiation inactivates microorganisms very efficiently and, when used when the product is wrapped that ensures that healthcare products are safe and can be relied upon.
It is also beneficial in sterilisation of heat sensitive items such as blood, bone and tissue for grafts.
0 Comments