Nuclear technology in medicine uses radioactive materials within diagnostic imaging procedures.
The use of nuclear technology in medicine opens up a new world of methods for the evaluation and treatment of illnesses. The field of nuclear medicine combines principles from nuclear physics with medical procedure and practice. Ongoing developments within the field have brought about the use of radioactive materials within exploratory and treatment procedures.
Identification
Diagnostic testing devices like X-rays direct radiation into the body to obtain information on the body's internal structures. Nuclear technology differs in its approach by recording the radiation emitted by the body by tracking small amounts of ingested radioactive material. In doing so, doctors can obtain information on how the organs within the body function as well as their structural condition, according to the Mayo Clinic. In effect, doctors can determine the cause of a medical problem based on how a particular portion of the body functions.
Function
Through the use of specialized imaging devices, technicians can record digital images of radioactive energy being emitted by specific areas of the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, drugs known as radiopharmaceuticals are ingested prior to the procedure. These drugs can be taken orally, intravenously or even through inhaling. They're designed to concentrate within specific areas of the body so imaging devices can record a visual representation of what the area looks like and how it functions. Since in many cases, exploratory surgery can be the only other means for obtaining information on bodily function, patients benefit by avoiding the need for surgical procedures.
Radionuclides
Low-level radioactive chemicals are the materials used to make radionuclides. These materials--like most nuclear materials--emit gamma rays, which is how imaging devices are able to record their location in the body. Gamma ray emissions are viewable, and recordable, by specially designed gamma cameras. Technetium and iodine are two of the radioactive substances used in the making of a radionuclide, according to Imaginis, a women's health resource site. Actual radiation amounts emitted are lower than those used in X-rays and CT scans.
Imaging
Imaging techniques used in nuclear medicine have certain benefits the more conventional diagnostic methods don't. According to Imaginis, the gamma cameras commonly used in these procedures produce images that show actual processes taking place within a particular organ or region of the body. X-rays and CT scans only produce a structural representation, which is for the most part a still picture. Emitted radiation waves are converted into electrical signals that create the digital image.
Effects
According to Imaginis, the methods used in nuclear technology allow for a quick and accurate diagnosis of a person's condition. The procedures used are cost-effective in terms of the quality of information obtained versus the costs involved in exploratory surgical procedures. These benefits can actually eliminate the risk of injury or infection that accompanies any form of surgery. In terms of radiation exposure, the techniques used with nuclear technology enable a more controlled administration of radioactive materials when compared with more conventional procedures.
Tags: imaging devices, radioactive materials, According Imaginis, areas body, gamma cameras, materials within, Mayo Clinic