How are patients prepared for nuclear medicine procedures?

Nuclear medicine is a specialized branch of modern medicine that exploits the process of radioactivity for imaging, diagnosis, and treatment. Many imaging techniques inject small amounts of radioactive material into the body, which are then tracked by a sensing device specific to the type of radiation emitted from that material. Radiation has also been used to destroy diseased tissue, typically beyond the reach of standard surgical techniques.

Using the readings for this module, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, write a paper on nuclear medicine. Address the following:

• Explain the scientific and technical concepts related to nuclear medicine. Consider the following questions when you construct your response:
  • What type of radiation is typically exploited in most nuclear medicine procedures?
  • How are patients prepared for nuclear medicine procedures?
  • What are the advantages and limitations of nuclear medicine?
  • What ailments are typically diagnosed and treated via nuclear medicine procedures?
• Evaluate a minimum of three applications of nuclear medicine relating to any of the following topics:
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans
  • Gallium scans
  • Indium white blood cell scans
  • Iobenguane scans (MIBG)
  • Octreotide scans
  • Hybrid scanning techniques employing X-ray computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Nuclear medicine therapy using radiopharmaceuticals