Nuclear Medication

Question 1

nuclear medicine

Answer 1

uses radioisotopes to diagnose and treat certain medical conditions

Question 2

radioisotopes

Answer 2

unstable atoms that decay to release small subatomic particles and energy

Question 3

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Answer 3

uses strong magnetic field to influence protons/neutrons in the nuclei of atoms and radiowaves to generate images

Question 4

radioimmunotherapy

Answer 4

antibody attracted only to a specific antigen and effective for metastic cancers

Question 5

radiotherapy

Answer 5

external gamma rays can be applied as a beam to treat cancerous treatment and is administered externally which expose healthy organs to gamma-radiation

Question 6

brachytherapy

Answer 6

administers source of gamma radiation that can be implemented through wires (catheter) to a targeted area, preventing healthy tissues to avoid exposure

Question 7

how does radiotherapy work?

Answer 7

gamma radiation generates free radical cells and when radiotherapy works effectively with strong beta-particle emitting, the DNA of free radical cells are damaged

Question 8

targeted alpha therapy

Answer 8

involves radioisotopes that emit alpha particles, which emits radiation that is more ionising than beta-particles

Question 9

how does TAT work?

Answer 9

attaching alpha-emitting particles to an antibody via a chelator

Question 10

chelator

Answer 10

a compound that is capable of forming multiple bonds to a transition metal ion to form a complex ion

Question 11

antibody

Answer 11

special protein that is able to bind specifically to cancer cells that contain a particular antigen, a protein on the cell surface

Question 12

importance of an antibody in TAT

Answer 12

since it can bind specifically to cancer cells, it ensures that only certain cells are exposed to the therapy

Question 13

boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT)

Answer 13

uses a non-radioactive isotope, boron-10, for cancers in the head and neck

Question 14

function of boron-10

Answer 14

effectively capture slow-moving, low-energy neutrons, forming boron-11, which rapidly decays, resulting in the release of alpha particles

Question 15

how does boron-10 kill cancer cells?

Answer 15

involves injecting boron-10 into the patient, where it binds to cancer cells due to a specific molecule, and then exposes the area to external neutron beams, causing boron-10 to absorb neutrons and emit gamma radiation, ultimately killing the cancerous cells internally

Question 16

what is a nuclear reaction?

Answer 16

involves the changes to the nucleus of an atom (change in nukber of protons/neutrons)

Question 17

enthalpy change of nuclear reactions

Answer 17

energy released is greater compared to chemical changes of compounds because nuclear reactions involve changes in binding energy that hold protons and neutrons together