13. TRACE ELEMENTS AND RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES Flashcards

1
Q
  1. What is an essential element?
A
  • it is an element that is required for life
  • an absence of this element results in death
  • they play a key role in a variety of processes necessary for life
  • they mediate vital biochemical reactions
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2
Q
  1. Which elements make up 96% of matter?
A
  • Carbon (C)
  • Hydrogen (H)
  • Oxygen (O)
  • Nitrogen (N)
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3
Q
  1. How much of trace elements is required by organisms?
A
  • less than 0.01%
  • they are required in very small amounts
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4
Q
  1. Name 10 important trace elements in the human body?
A
  • iron
  • iodine
  • zinc
  • selenium
  • manganese
  • copper
  • fluorine
  • molybdenum
  • chromium
  • cobalt
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5
Q
  1. What is iodine an essential trace element for?
A
  • for the synthesis of thyroid hormones
  • these are thyroxine (T4)
  • and triiodothyronine (T3)
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6
Q
  1. What is the function of the thyroid hormones (T3 and T4)?
A
  • they regulate the metabolic pattern of most cells
  • they play a vital role in the processes of early growth
  • they play a vital role in the processes of development of most organs (especially the brain)
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7
Q
  1. What happens if a person suffers from an iodine deficiency?
A
  • it can result in goitre
  • this is the abnormal enlargement of thyroid gland
  • the thyroid enlarges in size
  • this is under the influence of the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
  • this hormone is secreted from the pituitary gland
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8
Q
  1. How does iodine reach the thyroid gland?
A
  • iodine is sent to the thyroid gland by the Thyroid stimulating hormone
  • this is controlled by the hypothalamus
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9
Q
  1. What is the most common cause of goitre?
A
  • a lack of iodine in the diet
  • this is a preventable cause of an intellectual disability
  • iodine deficiency is common in areas with little to no accessible iodine
  • such as: remote islands, mountainous regions
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10
Q
  1. What are some foods that are rich in iodine?
A
  • seaweed
  • tuna
  • cod
  • shrimp
  • milk
  • yoghurt
  • cheese
  • iodised salt
  • eggs
  • dried plums
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11
Q
  1. What are the 10 symptoms of having an iodine Deficiency?
A
  1. swelling in the neck (goitre)
  2. fatigue and weakness
  3. dry, flaky skin
  4. changes in heart rate
  5. problems during pregnancy
    (there is an insufficient supply of thyroid hormones to the developing brain of the foetus.)
    (this could result in an intellectual disability)
  6. unexpected weight gain
  7. hair loss
  8. feeling colder than usual
  9. trouble learning and remembering
  10. heavy or irregular periods
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12
Q
  1. What is anaemia?
A
  • it is a common type of iron deficiency
  • it is a condition in which the blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells
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13
Q
  1. What is the function of red blood cells?
A
  • they carry oxygen to the body’s tissues with the help of haemoglobin
  • iron is a part of the haemoglobin structure
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14
Q
  1. What are some dietary sources of iron?
A
  • legumes
    (beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, soybeans)
  • liver
  • oysters
  • shellfish
  • clams
  • muscles
  • spinach
  • broccoli
  • dried fruits
  • eggs
  • iron-fortified cereals
  • red meat
  • poultry
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15
Q
  1. What are 10 symptoms of anaemia?
A
  1. extreme fatigue
  2. weakness
  3. pale skin
  4. brittle nails
  5. chest pain and a fast heartbeat
  6. shortness of breath
  7. headache and dizziness
  8. cold hands and feet
  9. mouth ulcers
  10. unusual cravings for non-nutritive subtsances
    (ice, dirt, starch)
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16
Q
  1. What is zinc involved in?
A
  • numerous aspects of cellular metabolism
  • it is required for the catalytic reactions of approximately 100 enzymes
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17
Q
  1. What are the functions of Zinc?
A
  • it plays a role in:
    - immune function
    - protein synthesis
    - wound healing
    - DNA synthesis
    - cell division
    - normal growth
    - development
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18
Q
  1. What are 8 symptoms of Zinc Deficiency?
A
  1. eye lesions
  2. skin lesions and inflammation
  3. poor wound healing
  4. reduced resistance to infections
  5. mental confusion
  6. poor learning abilities
  7. changes in hair and nails
  8. anaemia
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19
Q
  1. Where is 95% of Fluorine found in the human body?
A
  • in the bones
  • in the teeth
  • it is found as CaF2
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20
Q
  1. What is Fluorine?
A
  • it is a trace mineral
  • only a few milligrams per day are needed
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21
Q
  1. What are three sources of fluorine?
A
  • tap water that has been fluoridated
  • fish
  • tea
  • it is easily prevented through a good diet
22
Q
  1. What can a fluorine deficiency lead to?
A
  • it can lead to increased dental cavities/decay
  • it can possibly lead to osteoporosis
23
Q
  1. What do atoms of various elements differ in?
A
  • their number of subatomic particles
24
Q
  1. What is the atomic number of an element?
A
  • it is the number of protons
  • this is equal to the number of electrons
  • it is unique for each element
25
Q
  1. What is the mass number?
A
  • it is the sum of the protons and the neutrons of the atom
26
Q
  1. What are isotopes?
A
  • they are atoms with the same number of protons and a different number of neutrons
  • they have the same atomic number
  • they have different mass numbers
  • they are different forms in which atoms of a given element can occur
27
Q
  1. What are Radioactive isotopes called?
A
  • Radioisotopes
28
Q
  1. What are Radioisotopes?
A
  • they are isotopes with an unstable nucleus
  • they break down to emit radiation
  • they give off particles and excess energy
  • they do this until the nucleus becomes unstable
29
Q
  1. Where are radioisotopes used?
A
  • they are used in nuclear medicine
  • PET scans
  • radio therapy
  • cancer treatments
  • imaging
30
Q
  1. List 5 clinical applications of radioisotopes?
A
  1. disease treatment (radiotherapy)
  2. disease diagnosis (imaging)
  3. assessment of the degree of the severity of the disease
  4. treatment monitoring
  5. sterilisation of the medical equipment
31
Q
  1. How is Radiotherapy useful in treating cancer?
A
  • the rapidly dividing cancer cells are sensitive to damage by radiation
  • cancerous growths can be controlled and eliminated by irradiating the area where the cancerous growth is
32
Q
  1. What is the issue with Radiotherapy?
A
  • it damages both the cancer and the normal cells
  • the normal cells can regenerate if the treatment is done carefully
  • damage can be depend on which part of the body is receiving treatment
  • it can lead to hair changes
  • it can lead to hair loss
  • it can lead to skin problems
    (dryness, itching, blistering, peeling)
33
Q
  1. What kind of treatment is Radiotherapy?
A
  • it is a local treatment
  • it affects the area of the body where the tumor us located
34
Q
  1. What is the symbol and letter for Radioactive Iodine?
A
  • I 131
35
Q
  1. What does I 131 treat?
A
  • Hyperthyroidism
36
Q
  1. How does I 131 treat Hyperthyroidism?
A
  • it gradually shrinks the thyroid
  • it ultimately destroys the thyroid gland
  • there is no longe the presence of T3 and T4
  • the patient needs supplements to treat hypothyroidism for the rest of their lives
  • radio iodine is given in a liquid or capsule form
37
Q
  1. How does Radioactive Iodine treat thyroid cancer?
A
  • it destroys the thyroid tissue that was not removed by surgery
  • it treats some type of thyroid cancers where the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes
    and to other parts of the body
38
Q
  1. List 5 short term side effects of using Radioactive Iodine as a treatment for Thyroid cancer?
A
  1. Neck tenderness and swelling
  2. Nausea and Vomiting
  3. Swelling and tenderness of the salivary glands
  4. Dry mouth
  5. Taste changes
39
Q
  1. What is Cobalt- 60?
A
  • it is a radioactive isotope
  • it is extensively employed as a radiation source
    (y- radiation)
  • it is used to stop the development of cancer
  • it does this through an external radiation procedure known
    as gamma knife radio surgery
40
Q
  1. What does Radiotherapy target?
A
  • it targets ionising radiation at the cancer cells
  • this damages their DNA
  • this makes it impossible to divide or to grow
41
Q
  1. What is Palliative Medicine?
A
  • it is treatment aimed at relieving the pain
  • this is usually the focus when there is no treatment to cure the condition
42
Q
  1. What are three Radioactive isotopes that are used for the relief of cancer-induced bone pain?
A
  • Strontium 89
  • Samarium 153
  • Rhenium 186
43
Q
  1. Can Radioisotopes be used for imaging?
A
  • yes
44
Q
  1. What must a radioisotope do when it is being used for diagnosis?
A
  • it must emit gamma rays
    (mostly positrons)
  • these have to be of sufficient energy to escape from the body
  • it must have a half-life short enough for it to decay away soon after imaging is completed
45
Q
  1. What is a half-life?
A
  • it is an amount of time required for a quantity to reduce to half of its initial value
46
Q
  1. What is an example of Nuclear Medicine Imaging?
A
  • PET scans
47
Q
  1. What does PET stand for?
A
  • Positron Emission Tomography
48
Q
  1. What are PET scans based on?
A
  • radioactive isotopes
49
Q
  1. What are PET scans?
A
  • they are an imaging technique
  • they produce a 3D image of the functional processes in the body
50
Q
  1. How do Radioisotopes work in PET scans?
A
  • there is a detection of the emitted positrons by a radioisotope (tracer)
  • this radioisotope is introduced into the body through a biologically active molecule
  • this molecule is called fluodeoxyglucose (F18-FDG)
51
Q
  1. What is an advantage of nuclear imaging over X-ray techniques?
A
  • both bone and soft tissue can be imaged very successfully
52
Q
  1. New procedures have combined PET and Computed X-RAy Tomography together.
    These scans produce a PET-CT image.
    What is the effect of this?
A
  • there is a 30% better diagnosis than with traditional gamma camera alone
  • it is a very powerful and significant tool
  • it provides unique information on a wide variety of diseases
  • these range from dementia to cardiovascular disease to cancer