Diagnostic Methods in Medicine Flashcards
Name a medical tracer
Technetium 99-m, Fluorine 18
What are the three main components of a gamma camera?
Scintillator crystal
Photocathode
Photomultiplier tube
What does a scintillator crystal do?
It converts a high energy photon into lots of visible wavelength photons
How does a PET scan work?
A tracer is injected into a patient and as it decays, it undergoes beta plus decay. The positron then annihilates with an electron in the material, emitting two back to back photons, which are detected
What is a CAT scanner?
A rotating x-ray tube producing a thin fan shaped x ray beam which passes through the patient and is detected by a ring of detectors on the opposite side
What is a CAT scanner?
A rotating x-ray tube producing a thin fan shaped x ray beam which passes through the patient and is detected by a ring of detectors on the opposite side
What are the advantages of a CAT scan over a traditional x-ray?
The image is stored in computer memory
The image can be viewed in 3D
More slight density differences can be detected
The effects of absorption by objects not part of the patient can be eliminated
What does a photocathode do?
It converts photons into electrons
What is a contrast media in medical imaging
Liquids that are injected into a patient or swallowed which strongly attenuate x-rays. Images taken with this method will show features needed for diagnosis
