INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR MEDICINE INLCUDING PET/CT AND THERAPY

Question 1

What is nuclear medicine?

Answer 1

A: The use of radioisotopes or radiopharmaceuticals (radiotracers) for investigating or treating various disease processes, both benign and malignant.

Question 2

How does nuclear medicine imaging differ from anatomical imaging?

Answer 2

A: Nuclear medicine imaging is functional (physiological), while anatomical imaging (e.g., X-rays, CT scans) focuses on structure.

Question 3

What is the most important characteristic of a radiotracer?

Answer 3

A: It can study the body’s systems without interfering with their functions.

Question 4

What are isotopes?

Answer 4

A: Elements with the same atomic number but different mass numbers.

Question 5

Give examples of iodine isotopes.

Answer 5

A: I-131, I-125, I-124, and I-127.

Question 6

What are radioisotopes or radionuclides?

Answer 6

A: Isotopes with unstable nuclei that release radiation when decaying to become stable.

Question 7

What is a radiopharmaceutical?

Answer 7

A: A combination of a radioisotope with a biologically active molecule or drug that ensures proper biodistribution and localization.

Question 8

Name some radioisotopes that do not require a tracer.

Answer 8

A: Radioactive iodine, thallium, and gallium.

Question 9

Q: What are the types of radionuclides based on emissions?

Answer 9

Gamma emitters: Technetium-99m, Iodine-131, Gallium-67.
Positron emitters: Fluorine-18, Carbon-11, Rubidium-82.

Question 10

How are radionuclides produced?
A:

Answer 10

Nuclear fission (e.g., Iodine-131) in nuclear reactors.
Cyclotrons (e.g., Fluorine-18, Iodine-123).

Question 11

What is a molybdenum generator used for?

Answer 11

A: To produce technetium-99m from molybdenum-99

Question 12

What do gamma cameras and PET cameras detect?
A:

Gamma cameras: Detect gamma rays for SPECT imaging.
PET cameras: Detect photons from positron emitters for PET imaging.

Answer 12

Gamma cameras: Detect gamma rays for SPECT imaging.
PET cameras: Detect photons from positron emitters for PET imaging.

Question 13

What is hybrid imaging?

Answer 13

A: A combination of nuclear medicine and anatomical imaging (e.g., SPECT/CT, PET/CT, PET/MRI).

Question 14

: What is the clinical use of PET/CT imaging?

Answer 14

:
A: It is used in oncology, cardiology, infection/inflammation, and neurology.

Question 15

What is the Warburg effect?
A

Answer 15

A: The preference of tumor cells to use glucose for ATP production even in the presence of oxygen.

Question 16

What are some PET radioisotopes?

Answer 16

Fluorine-18 (F-18 FDG).
Carbon-11.
Nitrogen-13.
Rubidium-8

Question 17

: Name examples of beta emitters used for therapy.

Answer 17

.
A: Iodine-131, Lutetium-177.

Question 18

name examples of alpha emitters used for therapy.

Answer 18

A: Actinium-225, Bismuth-213.

Question 19

What are the clinical applications of Iodine-131?
A:

Answer 19

Treatment of well-differentiated thyroid cancers.
Graves’ disease.
Toxic adenoma of the thyroid gland.
Toxic multinodular goiter.

Question 20

What tracers are used for prostate cancer imaging and therapy?

Answer 20

Imaging: Gallium-68 PSMA.
Therapy: Lutetium-177 PSMA.

Question 21

hat is the greatest advantage of nuclear medicine imaging?

Answer 21

A: Its ability to detect early physiological changes, often before anatomical changes.