What is nuclear medicine?
Nuclear medicine is a medical industry in which radioactive materials are used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, known as radionuclides or radioactive isotopes. The radioactive materials used differ depending on the individual condition of the patient, but in all cases they have short half -lives, in the body they decompose very quickly and reduce the potential for radiation damage. Even at short half -life, radioactive isotopes may be dangerous and nuclear medicine procedures are performed and caution to minimize the risk to the patient and its care providers. When the isotope moves through the body, it emits radiation that can be picked up by a special camera and reveals information about the body's internal structures. Nuclear imaging, as is known, is used in the diagnosis of CONTITIONS, from bleeding to the abdomen to problems with brain structure. Bone and positron emission tomography scanning (PET) are two examples of nuclear imaging.
Radioactive isotopes are also used in medical treatment. In these cases, isotopes are focused on specific cells to inhibit or kill cells. Isotopes are most commonly used in the treatment of cancer, although nuclear medicine can also be used to treat tumors and some blood disorders. Due to higher doses of radiation needed to damage cells, patients can experience a number of difficult side effects due to the use of radioactive isotopes in medical treatment.
Depending on the patient's condition, nuclear medicine may be provided on an outpatient basis, in which case the patient returns home or bed after the procedure. In some cases, the treatment may also be used to isolation of patients who are temporarily radioactive due to treatment, ensuring that they do not expose friends and family of radionukes. With stricter control over doses it is less common, but still you are yousigns.
6 Technicians conducting imaging studies and radionuclides treatment are specially trained to provide their patients with a high level of very safe care, ensuring that exposure to radiation is as small as possible.