Nuclear Medicine

In contrast to most anatomic radiographic imaging techniques, nuclear medicine permits real time, non-invasive imaging of human physiology and pathophysiology and also allows for exquisite targeting of disease with therapeutic radiology. To open this window to the processes of human disease, one must first understand the physical processes behind radioactive decay and emission, as well the principles of radiation detection. Practical Nuclear Medicine Physics provides residents and practitioners in nuclear medicine and radiology a readable explanation of the physics concepts underpinning nuclear imaging and how they impact the utilization and interpretation of those images. Following a brief introductory section, the book provides numerous case examples, illustrating various imaging artifacts and pitfalls that can be recognized and remedied with a solid understanding of the physics behind the procedure. Understanding and applying the physics behind nuclear medicine is essential to maximizing not only diagnostic and therapeutic accuracy for providing optimal patient care, but "Practical Physics" is a required portion of radiology residency education and a designated area of the board exams.INTRODUCTION TO NUCLEAR MEDICINE ; RADIATION ; X-rays ; Nuclear nomenclature ; Nuclear radiation ; Electron capture ; Beta emission ; Positron emission ; Alpha emission ; Isomeric transition ; Gamma radiation ; Internal conversion ; Auger electrons ; Units of radioactivity ; RADIOBIOLOGY ; Units of radiation exposure ; Deterministic effects ; Stochastic effects ; Radiation safety ; RADIATION DETECTORS - IONIZATION DETECTORS ; Ionization chambers ; Dose calibrators ; Survey meters ; Proportional counters ; RADIATION DETECTORS - SINGLE PHOTON ; Collimators ; Scintillators ; Photomultiplier tubes ; The gamma camera ; Static planar imaging ; Dynamic imaging ; Gated imaging ; SPECT ; SPECT/CT ; Gamma probes and well counters ; RADIATION DETECTION - PET ; PET principles ; PET acquisition and reconstruction ; Time of flight ; PET/CT ; PET/MR ; DOSE CALIBRATOR ARTIFACTS ; Case 1. Altitude ; Case 2. Geometry ; Case 3. Materials ; GAMMA CAMERA ARTIFACTS ; Case 1. Cracked crystal ; Case 2. Hygroscopic crystal ; Case 3. PMT malfunction ; Case 4. Flood nonuniformity ; PLANAR ACQUISITION ARTIFACTS ; Case 1. Off peak acquisition ; Case 2. Motion artifact ; Case 3. Dose infiltration ; Case 4. Collimator penetration ; SPECT ACQUISITION ARTIFACTS ; Case 1. Center of rotation error ; Case 2. Filtered back projection streak ; Case 3. Noisy images ; Case 4. Iterative reconstruction errors ; Case 5. Motion artifact ; PET ACQUISITION ARTIFACTS ; Case 1. PMT malfunction ; Case 2. Crystal temperature instability ; Case 3. Table misregistration ; Case 4. Scatter correction errors ; Case 5. Attenuation correction errors ; Case 6. CT artifacts affecting PET reconstruction ; DOSE CALIBRATOR PITFALLS ; Case 1. Dose calibrator contamination ; Case 2. Wrong setting used on dose calibrator ; Case 3. High background activity ; SINGLE PHOTON PITFALLS ; Case 1. Prostheses ; Case 2. Recent prior study ; Case 3. Contamination ; Case 4. Poor dynamic timing ; Case 5. Background activity ; PET PITFALLS ; Case 1. Infiltration ; Case 2. Treatment effect mimics new disease ; Case 3. Misregistration and attenuation correction ; Case 4. Respiratory motion artifact ; THERAPY PITFALLS ; Case 1. Empiric dosing exceeds safe limits ; Case 2. GI toxicity ; Case 3. Radioactive vomit ; Case 4. Therapy infusion via indwelling catheter ; PUZZLERS