S.+Levey+Nuclear+PowerPoint+2

=nuclear medicine.=

nuclear medicine uses techniques to image the body and treat diseases. nuclear medicine imaging is unique because it provides doctors with information about both structures and functions. nuclear medicine imaging procedures often identify abnormalities early in the progress of a disease -- long before medical problems are visible with other diagnostic tests.

nuclear medicine uses very small amounts of radioactive materials [also named 'radiopharmaceuticals'] to diagnose and treat diseases. in imaging, the radiopharmaceuticals are detected by special types of cameras that work with computers to provide clear pictures about the area of the body being imaged.

nuclear medicine is different from most types of imaging strategies. nuclear medicine examines the physical functions of systems in the body being investigated opposed to getting an mri or a cat scan, which is the traditional way of carefully checking something inside of the body. when getting scanned with nuclear medicine, sometimes the image can be superimposed and will show a better picture of the insides of your body than a traditional scan [an mri or a cat scan] could do.

a few specific things nuclear medicine can be used for is analyzing kidney functions, image blood flow and function of the heart, scan lungs for resperatory problems, evaluate bones for tumors fracture infection or arthritis, determine the presence or spread of cancer, and locate the presence of infection,

this machine uses radiopharmaceuticals to look through parts of the brain, searching for any sign of disease or abnormalities.

this picture is an example of a cardiac stress test. the different colours represent different intensities and stats of the heart.

//"By using digital imaging and very fast computers, we not only see better but we can make exact measurements," Dr. Holder explains. "In addition to improving health by helping physicians decide what specific therapy patients should receive, modern nuclear medicine saves the patient and the insurer money by determining right away if there is a problem."//

bibliography.
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=gennuclear&bhcp=1 http://interactive.snm.org/index.cfm?PageID=3106&RPID= http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/nuclear.htm