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What is Nuclear Medicine?
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Nuclear Medicine is the safe use of radioactive materials in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Certain compounds (pharmaceuticals) which by their nature, concentrate in different organs of their human body, are chemically labelled with specific radioactive materials (radioisotopes). These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered, concentrate within the organ or organ system and the distribution is determined by specialised equipment.
The therapeutic basis of Nuclear Medicine relies on the fact that certain elements are necessary for the body's metabolism or normal function. The body cannot distinguish between a radioactive or non-radioactive element so will deal with both in the same manner. Thus, when indicated to induce a therapeutic response, the radioactive form is administered.
a third aspect of nuclear medicine is the laboratory aspect where blood products are labelled with specific radioisotopes. these are then administered and subsequent sampling of blood or other product or surface measurements are performed.
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Why have a Nuclear Medicine Scan?
| A Nuclear Medicine scan is a non-invasive, painless procedure which will provide your doctor additional information in determining what ails you. Advances in modern Medicine are such that many tests are used in a complimentary manner. Certain diseases are best shown by Radiological (x-ray) techniques, others by Nuclear Medicine or a combination of both. |
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What are the risks?
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All Nuclear Medicine tests involve the administration of radiation. The doseages involved in the diagnostic tests are very low often comparable to the equivalent x-ray test. Effects from the pharmaceutical are also negligible unless a pharmacologic effect is specifically required.
The nature of the tests where treatment is desired necessarily requires that the radiation doseages are very high.
To read more about the Relative Risks of Nuclear Medicine - click here.
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Types of Studies/Capabilities?
| Nuclear Medicine are definitive in their own right or complimentary to other modalities. The tests performed are many and varied and some common tests are bone, lung, renal (kidney), brain and myocardial (heart) scans. PET scans are performed within the Centre for Positron Emission Tomography. |
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