GIF89a.dmͽqFN_tv!,0I8ͻ`(dihl[5˂ KӸxĂG,APcQͨv˚ilurW|3;}~W |Od?L9B * @zWY+#'$!k@W(¼(Ǽ)͎űӬ*إLݥ,+Ҹl쎪-|{-]#t@Cȱ N̑C 62KaPH5%;t\)˟1{Lɑ6oj(at2O]O$*0P`Ph0 Ӥp~e11̈W8j5scF1hZXexo2|, ʹQMxl% 6LWPe Nz|+&mj,4ҦM)0+޼_4qǘ^MB)< $7ownٵbWU&XHNODsz$Z1 4 T?E/GIW0h!\V4Ayt!zD["Ѐ{vP/#_Q^cBbF`%NJg/>fÌ=6kI#n .e\f@2&(4$gAH!bXf8WAfMzФ/)YBЙR``X\m k`ZgG 3*}* *"WZa`f.70 mƕcGrhv8C:zopb$\¬J6ג/ oDŁ@JۊjA[-`r$p^ɥ8FZ.b0UL5H&gIByĭ0A=VJ"&LBEŮ0p(k0t?P k6` bvp]r,FiFuj YX԰ e0e H@ל7tt|^':$4%\TV^E oOu9#ЩQ7̘JB[Gyd4VFa4xGyҙiHMWeJ%(Z"H/{7|ASfo?AfJ`B|+xG@\Zm]/w#QdVO%zQ $s11ԣDx.>ieKp:i(FjExK^da%>q[T 5I{0eOÙb6ɩϙ#u ΎGԧBj}y'p IitH;|bB2*Jp`Tf6Aj8HyND%Q5*1@Numv<iGF M=Rj?**P=##5`"RU+UݪͫZPq=] a84 PM[әZUc*}5aU \Xhe紨ekR 60.g*NB^%L8pZ?y>TkASUնnn]O{/pMբa}JX-MDہs!wȩnuE5]n[ @8  R\ V0;ͨI/?e@F1`Zē'ծE 6[.^p  6S-[By%t^jc\E_5p`Lw]ۙ٤ۡep8,rwsM3(co_7yptw?XaDè% fBu0^Ƞ]kG0šM4:'ʰ H=6lPnCl`=^\*і6Ǔż@`chYںʚ@gk[ڴoN_hKi5c -yK 7E61Nf'`Nf9reZn3./~WgPێ+FJ Ueo憶t ^aBH׼v5yjr:.V理D$*n] t?v?:MZ쩲A.q1%^I1`8%F bRގ4{LV>C>u9,Bmԣ~n- 9V PSBAx~;>~};۬oW_mG>%}t& (*ahȗO}QWFI8 /QP&yA~r0r3XWB?afRo%HY~g4TT%7W&ufg~*T?'e>`3Hvw,b,,r"O8u$~O'qi]ipBY`,&ׂ-BXX9CbX6v%tGba0+e?BoV4g y4)'~ԈG6 k]RV7;NG1`[Hs(rđ(JPJV犗gW0[grlh:!?tsըLv$(5Wx:8ZA_`[QF_Ht84jB|*u&AKFڸw{UI983:`-9א bG(Mb> ʨEIx%ɑ/D\ą()׸U(*$r c$hqbAzztd&A I k i|kA B/+S0(ň-?IPs`葆DA?v)UPYVNIKX,jwuEim yxr-u`,c*h9?3i ٚ)2RCy)y@Y]PˀIdԹQP<9։9ْ aYٞyɗɞY/yTH))Ot=1 j y OȎJz:-aoi&i&)H0; Nuclear Medicine: Definition
ResourcesNuclear Medicine defined...
Definition of Nuclear Medicine Nuclear medicine is the medical specialty that involves the use of radioactive isotopes in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Nuclear medicine began only after the discovery by Enrico Fermi in 1935 that stable elements could be made radioactive by bombarding them with neutrons. The atoms of the elements so bombarded capture these neutrons, thus assuming a different nuclear form while remaining the same elements. These radioisotopes have unstable nuclei, however, and dissipate excess energy by emitting radiation in the form of gamma and other rays.

In isotope scanning, a radioisotope is introduced into the body, usually by means of intravenous injection. The isotope is then taken up in different amounts by different organs. Its distribution can be determined by recording the radiation it emits, and through charting its concentration it is often possible to recognize the presence, size, and shape of various abnormalities in body organs. The radiation emitted is detected by a scintillation counter, which is moved back and forth over the organ being scanned; these messages can then be electronically recorded and studied by clinicians. The radioisotope usually has a short half-life and thus decays completely before its radioactivity can cause any damage to the patient's body.

Different isotopes tend to concentrate in particular organs: for example, iodine-131 settles in the thyroid gland and can reveal a variety of defects in thyroid functioning. Another isotope, carbon-14, is useful in studying abnormalities of metabolism that underlie diabetes, gout, anemia, and acromegaly. Various scanning devices and techniques have been developed, including tomography (q.v.) and magnetic resonance imaging.