Assessing the nuclear medicine in patients. Biological & Biomedical Sciences Essay (Essay Sample)

Nuclear medicine is a type of radiology used to examine, diagnose and treat various diseases. It uses radioactive materials that detect the disease at its earliest possible stage (Boerman et al, p.292). It is frequently used to determine how patients are responding to medications and treatment. When used on heart, it can detect the coronary artery disease, examine post-heart attack damage, or help develop the right treatment for a heart bypass. When used on brain, it can detect early signs of Alzheimer’s, and aid in treatment of seizures (Anand et al, p. 355). It is most frequently used in cancer, as it can detect cancerous cells at its earliest stage, unlike other conventional procedures.
Nuclear medicine uses radioactive materials, often referred to as radiotracers or radiopharmaceuticals. During a full body exam, the radiopharmaceuticals enter the body by swallowing, inhaling, or by injecting (Boerman et al, p. 289).