nuclear medicine
Isotope-based healthcare field
Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty using radioactive substances to diagnose and treat disease.
Patients swallow or are injected with small amounts of radioactive material that collects in specific organs or tissues, allowing doctors to image internal processes or deliver targeted radiation therapy.
Common procedures include PET scans and thyroid treatments: The oncologist ordered nuclear medicine imaging to check for cancer spread.
Metastable medical radioisotope
- iodine-131Radioactive halogen isotope
- compoundingElements merging progressively
- generatorElectricity-producing machine
- quality controlMaintaining production standards
Imaging to detect skeletal abnormalities
- cardiac stress testExertion-based heart assessment
- neuroimagingVisualizing nervous system structure
- biomarkersMeasurable disease indicators
- stagingPreparing for presentation
Unstable atoms releasing energy
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- beta particlesElectrons from radioactive decay
- scintillationRapid light variation
collimator · annihilation · radionuclide · dead time · resolution
Safeguarding from ionizing emissions
- dosimetryRadiation absorption measurement
- shieldingProtecting from harm
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- radioactive wasteHazardous nuclear byproducts
technetium-99m
Metastable medical radioisotope
- iodine-131Radioactive halogen isotope
- compoundingElements merging progressively
- generatorElectricity-producing machine
quality control · radiolabeling · biodistribution · specific activity
bone scan
Imaging to detect skeletal abnormalities
- cardiac stress testExertion-based heart assessment
- neuroimagingVisualizing nervous system structure
- biomarkersMeasurable disease indicators
radioactive decay
Unstable atoms releasing energy
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- beta particlesElectrons from radioactive decay
scintillation · collimator · annihilation · radionuclide · dead time · resolution
radiation protection
Safeguarding from ionizing emissions
- dosimetryRadiation absorption measurement
- shieldingProtecting from harm
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
brachytherapy
Localized implanted radiation oncology
- dosimetryRadiation absorption measurement
- Health Careersdoctor, nurse practitioner, nursing, physician, surgeon
- radiologyX-ray, CT scan, MRI machine, MRI, radiologist
- medical specialtiescardiology, neurology, pediatrics, dermatology, oncology
- nuclear applicationsPET scans, radiotherapy, radiopharmaceuticals, radioactive tracers, power generation
- radiobiologyradiobiology, DNA damage, mutations, ionizing radiation, cell damage
- radiation safetydosimeter, radiation protection, radiation shielding, lead apron, dosimeters
nuclear medicinephysical examination
Medical evaluation of body
visual inspection · palpation · MRI · magnetic resonance imaging · ultrasound
nuclear medicinesurgery
Invasive medical procedure
physical therapy · oral medication · pharmacotherapy · chemotherapy · immunotherapy
nuclear medicinephysical examination
Medical evaluation of body
clinical observation · palpation · auscultation · folk medicine
medicine, magnetic, nuclear, nuclear reactor, nuclear fission, nuclear power, nuclear family, nuclear energy, nuclear fusion