Nuclear

Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty involving the application of radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. In nuclear medicine procedures, radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs or cellular receptors. This property of nuclear medicine provides the ability to image the extent of a disease process in the body, based on the cellular function and physiology, rather than relying on physical changes in the tissue anatomy.

History

The development of nuclear medicine was initially associated with the use of nuclear radiation to treat disease. In the early 20th century, scientific investigation and discovery were very active in the area of radionuclides and radiation, which set the stage for the development of this medical specialty. The key events that led to the development of nuclear medicine were the discovery of artificial radioactivity in 1934, the development of the cyclotron in Berkeley, California in the 1930s, and the production of radionuclides for medical use by Ernest O. Lawrence.

Procedures

Nuclear medicine procedures are used in diagnosing and treating certain illnesses. These procedures use radioactive materials called radiopharmaceuticals. Examples of diseases treated with nuclear medicine procedures are hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, lymphomas, and bone pain from some types of cancer.

Safety

The amount of radiation in a nuclear medicine procedure is comparable to that received during a diagnostic x-ray. The potential health risks from radiation are small compared with the potential benefits.

See also

• Radiology
• Radiation therapy
• Medical imaging

References

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