X-Ray, CT, PET Flashcards
List imaging types with Ionising Radiation
Ionising Radiation Planar X-ray CT Gamma Camera and SPECT PET Hybrid Imaging
What is ionising radiation?
Radiation that causes ionisation when it interacts with matter
Types used for medical imaging are:
Gamma rays
X-rays
Why use ionising radiation?
Why use ionising radiation?
Penetrating
Ionising Radiation Action
Indirect Action –
Majority of the body is water
Production of Free Radicals & Hydrogen Peroxide
FR are highly reactive, so direct action = mutation in cell DNA
= biological response = genetic, death, cancer
Direct effect of radation damage
Only at high radiation dose not noticed at usual diagnostic doses
Threshold effect
e.g. Erythema & hair loss
Indirect effect of radation damage
Indirect effects
Risk of cancer induction
Risk of genetic change in subsequent population
Effect is proportional to radiation dose, no threshold
🡪 all radiation has risk
Some typical effective doses (mSv) are:
Some typical effective doses (mSv) are: Dental intra-oral 0.002 Chest X-ray 0.02 Lumbar Spine 2 NM Bone Scan 3 IVU 4 CT pelvis 7 CT head 2 Barium enema 8 MIBI cardiac scan 10 PET scan 10
Risk of fatal cancer induction is:
Risk of fatal cancer induction is:
5% per Sievert
1 in 20000 per mSv
1 in 2000 per PET scan
Annual radiation dose in the UK average = ?
Annual radiation dose in the UK average 2.7 mSv
Positrons - effect
Positive electrons interact with matter to create gamma rays = PET
Gamma rays - effect
Penetrating radiation = Gamma camera imaging
e.g. SPECT
X-rays - effect
X-rays Spectrum of electromagnetic radiation = X-Ray imaging e.g. radiographs, CT
Artificially produced in an X‑ray tube
Relation of positrons’ and gamma rays’ emission
Emitted following the radioactive decay of an unstable nucleus
Attenuation increases with
Attenuation increases with
Higher atomic number
Higher density
X-Rays are essentially an attenuation map
Transmission Imaging - action and advantages
Transmission Imaging
Radiation is directed through the patient
A transmission map collected is essentially an attenuation map
Good at showing structure, especially between tissues of different densities or atomic number
Emission Imaging - action
The radiation is administered to a patient in the form of a tracer
Emitted radiation is detected outside the patient
Voltage/current function in X-ray tube
High voltage controls the energy of the x-rays
Current control the amount of x-rays
X-ray produced when and how much control do we have
X-rays only produced when tube is in action i.e. can be switched on/off
We have control over the amount and energy of x-rays produced
Detectors for planar X-ray - Film Hardcopy = describe action
Film processor with tanks of chemicals
High resolution
Detectors for planar X-ray - Computed Radiology computer copy
= describe action
Phosphor plate
Special laser scanner or CR reader that reads and digitizes the image
Digital enhancement and archiving
Detectors for planar X-ray - Digital Radiology (DR)
= describe action
Flat panel detector, fully digitised system