Introduction to Nuclear Medicine

What is a neutron?

A neutron is an unstable particle that breaks down into stable particles of a proton, an electron (beta particle) and a neutrino.

What is a nuclear medicine technologist?

A practitioner responsible for the administration of radioactive material to humans or animals for diagnostic, therapeutic or research purposes.

What do you call the indivisible pieces that composes matter?

Atom

What is the smallest subatomic particles?

Electrons

What is equal in number in an electrically neutral atom?

In an electrically neutral atom, there are equal number of protons and electrons.

What is matter?

It is anything that occupies space and has mass.

What is atom composed of?

It is composed of a centrally positioned, positively charged core called nucleus which is composed of two particles - protons and neutrons called nucleons.

What is nuclear medicine?

It is the medical specialty that utilizes the nuclear properties of radioactive and stable nuclides to make diagnostic evaluations of the anatomic or physiologic conditions of the body and to provide therapy with unsealed radioactive sources.

Who developed the first rectilinear scanner, at what year and its function?

It was developed by Benedict Cassen in 1951. The scanner generated a picture of the organ based on the amount of radioactivity in it.

Who developed the scintillation camera, at what year, its function and what studies it included?

It was developed by Hal Anger in 1958. The camera was use to image the organ at one time including Static and Dynamic studies.

Who discovered radioactivity and at what year was it discovered?

It was discovered by Marie Curie in 1898.

Who discovered technetium-99m, what year it was discovered and at year it was clinically used?

It was discovered in 1937 by Perrier and Segre and used clinically in 1961.

What energy holds the electron shell in place?

It's being held by binding energy.

What year did the medical use of radioactivity start and what radioactive element was use, number of protons and what it was use to treat with?

Medical use of radioactivity started in 1936 using radioactive phosphorus (32P) to treat leukemia and lymphomas.

What component gives the atom most of its mass?

Nucleons

What became the radionuclide of choice for a variety of nuclear medicine imaging procedure?

Technetium-99m

What portion of the atom contains the electrons which orbit around the nucleus?

The extanuclear portion.

What electrons are more tightly bound to the nucleus and requires more energy to remove them?

The innermost electrons.

What electrons is responsible for all chemical interactions with other atoms?

The outermost electrons.

What is the physics of nuclear medicine?

The physics for nuclear medicine includes anatomic structure, the properties of radiation, radioactive decay and the interaction of radiation with matter. A basic understanding of these principles is critical to the use of radioactive materials and radiation detecting instrumentation.

It is the total number of what subatomic particle that determines which an element an atom represents?

The protons (also known as the atomic number).

What knowledge and skills must the technologist possess of?

a.) Computer applications b.) Human anatomy, physiology and positioning c.) Instrumentation d.) In vivo procedures e.) In vitro procedures f.) Medical ethics g.) Medical terminology h.) Pathology i.) Patient care j.) Physical science k.) Quality assurance l.) Radiobiology and protection m.) Radio pharmaceuticals n.) Therapeutic use of radionuclides

What is the symbol for electron, neutron and proton?

• Electron (e or e-) • Neutron (n) • Proton (p or p+

What is the atomic mass unit of electron, neutron and proton?

• Electron - 0.00055 amu • Neutron - 1.00898 amu • Proton - 1.00759 amu

What are the difference between istopes, isobars, isotones and isomers?

• Isotopes - nuclides with the same number of protons but different number of nucleus. • Isobars - nuclides with the same atomic mass number. • Isotones - nuclides with the same number of protons but different number of protons. • Isomers - nuclides with the same number of protons and atomic mass number but with extra excitation energy above the ground state.