Radioactive Tracers

Nuclear medicine uses radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosing and treating diseases. Techniques like PET and SPECT imaging employ radioactive tracers to create images for diagnosis. PET involves injecting or swallowing a tracer that emits positrons, while SPECT uses gamma rays. These methods help identify diseases like cancer and heart conditions. Treatments such as brachytherapy and gamma knife radiosurgery use radiation to target tumors, with radionuclides having longer half-lives for extended treatment.

What is the primary purpose of using radioactive tracers in PET scans?

• To detect sound waves

• To track the movement of molecules in the body

• To measure blood pressure

• To monitor heart rate

How does SPECT differ from PET in terms of the radiation it uses?

• SPECT uses sound waves, while PET uses gamma rays

• SPECT uses X-rays, while PET uses gamma rays

• SPECT uses gamma rays, while PET uses positrons

• SPECT uses positrons, while PET uses X-rays

Which of the following diseases can be diagnosed using SPECT?

• Diabetes

• Heart disease

• Arthritis

• Asthma

In brachytherapy, where is the radioactive source placed?

• Inside the bloodstream

• On the skin surface

• Inside or near the tumor

• In the digestive tract

What is the main advantage of using gamma knife radiosurgery?

• It uses sound waves to treat tumors

• It is a non-radiation treatment

• It delivers radiation without direct placement inside the body

• It requires no anesthesia