The radiation generated by radionuclides can be used for diagnostic imaging and also be used therapeutically in the treatment of certain diseases (e.g., as in thyroid diseases).
The radionuclide scintigraphy uses the radiation from radionuclides (nuclear decay) to produce images. A radionuclide is an unstable isotope which is stable when it releases energy in the form of radiation. This radiation can gamma photon or particle radiation include (such as positrons, which are used in PET). The radiation generated by radionuclides can be used for diagnostic imaging and also be used therapeutically in the treatment of certain diseases (e.g., as in thyroid diseases). Radionuclides (usually Technetium-99m) can be combined with different stable metabolically active substances to a radiopharmaceutical which accumulates in certain anatomical or pathologically altered structures (target tissue). The radiopharmaceutical is administered by mouth or by injection. After the radionuclide has had time to reach the target tissue, photographs are taken with a gamma camera. Gamma rays emitted by the radionuclide, interact with scintillation crystals in the camera, which photons are generated which are converted by photomultipliers into electrical signals. A computer compiles and analyzes the signals and integrates them into two-dimensional images. However, it can be accurately analyzed only signals near the front of the camera. Characterized the method is limited by the thickness of the fabric and the range of the camera. Portable gamma cameras can enable radionuclide imaging at the bedside. In general, radionuclide scanning is considered safe; it uses eseine relatively low radiation dose and provides valuable information (for example, allows physicians to present the entire skeleton pictorially, if they suspect that the cancer has metastasized to the bone. Bone scan of the whole body image courtesy of Hakan Ilaslan, MD = {var model thumbnailUrl:. ‘/-/media/manual/professional/images/scintigraphic_metastatic_whole_body_high_de.jpg?la=de&thn=0&mw=350’, imageUrl ‘/-/media/manual/professional/images/scintigraphic_metastatic_whole_body_high_de.jpg ? lang = en & thn = 0 ‘, title:’ bone scan of the whole body ‘ description: ‘ u003Ca id = “v37899000 ” class = “”anchor “” u003e u003c / a u003e u003cdiv class = “”para “” u003e u003cp u003eEin delayed Full-Technetium-99m bone scan picture shows multiple foci of increased uptake in Übreinstimmung with metastases u003c / p u003e u003c / div u003e ‘credits’. image courtesy of Hakan Ilaslan