Nuclear medicine is the special bough of medicine that comprises of diagnostic examinations of body structure and performance by taking images of the affected body organ. These images are produced through detection of the energy emitted by radioactive substances given to the patient. Radioactive substances are given either intravenously or orally. The images obtained from the radiation are same as the images obtained from the X-ray examinations, but with higher resolution.

Basic physics of nuclear medicines lies in small dose of the radioactive substances given to the patient. This dose is given intravenously but sometimes may be taken orally. After running through the nerves, radioactive substances localize in specific body organ. Given dose of radioactive compound are called the radiopharmaceutical agent or tracer. Eventually these compounds collected by the organs; gives off the energy in the form of gamma rays. By using gamma cameras, radiographer is able to detect the radiations and with the help of computer, generates images of organs and size of the tissues.

The imaging can be done immediately, after few hours or may be several days' later. Time required to capture the image generally varies from 20 minutes to 45 minutes. According to the body organs, radiopharmaceutical is determined. Depending on the scanning type, it may take some seconds or minutes for the substance to travel through body and accumulate in the body organ that is under study.

According to these obtained images, physicians will diagnose and treat the disease. Nuclear medicine is helpful in the diagnosis of infections, tumors and other disorders. Nuclear medicine is particularly used to analyze function of the kidney. An image obtained, shows the blood flow and functioning of the heart. Radiography can scan the lungs in case of blood flow and respiratory problems. Radiation is also useful in identifying the blockage of the gallbladder.

To evaluate the bone in case of the fractures, arthritis, infection or tumor, nuclear medicine has become good peripheral to other scanning processes. To determine cancer tissues or to sight the spreading of cancer cells, basic physics of nuclear medicines is useful.

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