Scientific and Technical Concepts in Nuclear Medicine (Essay Sample)

Scientific and Technical Concepts in Nuclear Medicine
Your Name (First M. Last)
Name of School or Institution
Scientific and Technical Concepts in Nuclear Medicine
Technological advancement led to the development of nuclear medicine, a new branch in the medical field. In this paper, I will explore the scientific and technical concepts involved in nuclear medicine, types of radiation, nuclear medicine procedures, and the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear medicine. Lastly, this paper will also evaluate nuclear medicine applications to Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, Gallium scans, and metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scans.
Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine is a field in medical radiology that utilizes minute radioactive materials to diagnose, ascertain the severity of an ailment, and treat different illnesses. Nuclear medicine procedures help determine activities within the body at the molecular level; thus, doctors can identify the disease early.
Procedures in Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine procedures begin by first inserting an IV line into the patient's arm. A given amount of radiotracer is administered intravenously, orally, or inhaled depending on the aim of examination. After that, a radiologist conducts imaging using a radioactive camera or scanner to take images in sequences until sufficient photos are obtained. Lastly, a radiologist or medical specialist will interpret the pictures and write a detailed report on the patient's findings or a medical consultant.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine usually gives a detailed information with higher specificity and sensitivity, challenging to obtain with standard imaging techniques such as ultrasounds and X-rays. With its higher sensitivity and specificity, diagnosis and treatment of an ailment can be conducted efficiently and accurately (Yordanova et al., 2017). Because of its non-invasive nature, nuclear medicine is a better option for making a fast and accurate diagnosis in medical emergencies, unlike exploratory surgery, which is timely, costly, and painful.
However, nuclear medicine can be time-consuming, especially with limited experience. Also, radioactive materials are carcinogenic. As a result, frequent exposure of patients and radiologists to radioactive materials is highly discouraged.
Applications of Nuclear Medicine
Positron Emission Tomography- Computed Tomography (PET/CT) uses radiotracers, a digital camera, and a computer to examine a specific organ in the body. Investigations are done at the cellular level, where pathological changes are identified and recorded. Besides, the doctor can obtain results on significant body functions such as blood perfusion, oxygen utilization, glucose metabolism (Le Roux et al., 2019). With these findings, the doctor can assess the function of each organ in the body. The radiologists can detect ailments such as cancer and myocardial infarction early with PET scans.
Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scans are used to identify and locate specific tumors in the body. With MIBG scans, the radiologist can easily differentiate primary tumors from metastasized tumors (Hricak et al., 2021). Besides, osteosarcomas and chondrosarcomas can be located with MIBG scans