Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear Medicine is a medical specialty involving the application of radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. In nuclear medicine procedures, radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs or cellular receptors. This property of nuclear medicine provides it with the ability to image the extent of a disease process in the body, based on the cellular function and physiology, rather than relying on physical changes in the tissue anatomy.

History

The development of nuclear medicine was initially associated with the use of nuclear radiations and radionuclides in the early 20th century. The first practical application of these techniques in the field of medicine was in the 1950s, when radioiodine was used for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases.

Procedures

Nuclear medicine procedures are used in diagnosing and treating certain illnesses. These procedures use radioactive materials called radiopharmaceuticals. Examples of diseases treated with nuclear medicine procedures are hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, lymphomas, and bone pain from some types of cancer.

Diagnostic Procedures

Nuclear medicine imaging procedures are noninvasive and usually painless medical tests that help physicians diagnose medical conditions. These imaging scans use radioactive materials called radiopharmaceuticals or radiotracers.

Therapeutic Procedures

Nuclear medicine also offers therapeutic procedures, such as radioiodine therapy that use small amounts of radioactive material to treat cancer and other medical conditions affecting the thyroid gland, or treatments for other cancers and medical conditions.

Safety

The amount of radiation in a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to that received during a diagnostic x-ray. The potential health risks from radiation are small compared with the potential benefits.

See Also

• Radiology
• Radiation therapy
• Medical imaging

Nuclear Medicine Resources
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