Nuclear Medicine: A New Dawn In Non-Invasive Surgery

Nuclear medicine is a specialized field within radiology that involves the use of very small amounts of radioactive substances (known as radionuclides or radio-tracers) for medical research, diagnostic purposes, and the treatment of a variety of conditions, including cancer.
It marks a significant advancement in modern medicine, offering a non-invasive and highly accurate approach to both diagnosing and managing numerous diseases.

Nuclear Medicine Imaging

Nuclear medicine imaging is an interdisciplinary practice that draws from several fields, including chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer technology, and medicine.

Since soft tissue, such as intestines, muscles, and blood vessels, is difficult to visualize using a standard X-ray unless enhanced with a contrast agent, nuclear imaging steps in to fill that gap. This agent allows the tissue to be seen more clearly.

One of the key strengths of nuclear imaging is that it provides information not only on the structure of organs and tissues but also their function. It is cell specific and the level of radiation in this kind of test tends to be very low.

Radiotracers can be injected, swallowed, or inhaled. Once inside the body, they travel to the targeted organ or area, where they emit gamma rays. These rays are picked up by special cameras that produce detailed internal images.

The extent to which a radionuclide is absorbed, or ‘taken up,’ by a certain organ or tissue may even show how well the organ or tissue is working. Unlike conventional imaging methods such as X-rays or CT scans that primarily depict anatomy, nuclear medicine focuses on physiological function, which often enables earlier detection of abnormalities.

There is a range of radionuclides used in nuclear medicine, including those derived from technetium, thallium, gallium, iodine, and xenon. The choice of radionuclide depends on the nature of the study and the specific organ or system being examined.

How Nuclear Medicine Works

In nuclear medicine, doctors rely on radioactive substances to assess, diagnose, and treat patients suffering from chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

When used in treatment, the tracer targets a harmful organ or tissue and damages or stops the growth of its cells.

Among the most widely used treatment approaches are radioactive iodine therapy and brachytherapy. Brachytherapy is a form of treatment where a sealed radiation source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment.