Basic Physics of Nuclear Medicine

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Nuclear Medicine is a fascinating application of nuclear physics. The first ten chapters of this wikibook are intended to support a basic introductory course in an early semester of an undergraduate program. They assume that students have completed decent high school programs in maths and physics and are concurrently taking subjects in the medical sciences. Additional chapters cover more advanced topics in this field. Our focus in this wikibook is the diagnostic application of Nuclear Medicine. Therapeutic applications are considered in a separate wikibook, "Radiation Oncology".

A (mispagination-corrected) print version of this wikibook is available (5 Nov 2006).

[edit] Contents

Elementary Topics:

1. Atomic & Nuclear Structure
2. Radioactive Decay
3. The Radioactive Decay Law
4. Units of Radiation Measurement
5. Interaction of Radiation with Matter
6. Attenuation of Gamma-Rays
7. Gas-Filled Radiation Detectors
8. Scintillation Detectors
9. Nuclear Medicine Imaging Systems
10. Production of Radioisotopes
11. Chapter Review

Advanced Topics:

• Computers in Nuclear Medicine - under development
• PACS and Advanced Image Processing - under development
• Three-Dimensional Visualization Techniques - under development
• Dynamic Studies in Nuclear Medicine - under development
• Fourier Methods - under development
• Deconvolution Analysis - under development
• X-Ray CT in Nuclear Medicine - under development
• Sonography & Nuclear Medicine - under development
• MRI & Nuclear Medicine - under development
• Dual-Energy Absorptiometry - under development
• Patient Dosimetry - under development

[edit] Authors

The principal author of this text is KieranMaher, who is very grateful for the expert editorial assistance of Dirk Hünniger during his German translation of the text and his contribution to the section on the Operation of a 99m-Tc Generator.

[edit] Feedback

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[edit] Bibliography

• Applied Imaging Technology, 4th Ed., JCP Heggie, NA Liddell & KP Maher (St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, 2001)
• Basic Science of Nuclear Medicine, 2nd Ed., RP Parker, PHS Smith, DH Taylor (Churchill Livingstone, 1984)
• Computed Tomography: Fundamentals, System Technology, Image Quality, Applications, 3rd Ed., WA Kalender (Wiley, 2000)
• Introduction to Nuclear Physics, H Enge (Addison-Wesley, 1966)
• Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 4th Ed., PA Rinck (Blackwell, 2001)
• Nuclear Medicine in Urology & Nephrology, 2nd Ed., HJ Testa, PH O'Reilly & RA Shields (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1986)
• Physics in Nuclear Medicine, JA Sorenson and ME Phelps (Grune & Stratton, 1980)
• Radioisotope Techniques in Clinical Research and Diagnosis, N Veall and H Vetter (Butterworths, 1958)
• Radionuclide Techniques in Medicine, JM McAlister (Cambridge University Press, 1979).

[edit] External Links

• Australian & New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine - the main nuclear medicine society in Australia; there is also a Victorian Branch website.
• National Nuclear Data Center - US Brookhaven National Lab's enormous databank of nuclear physics information, including Nuclear Medicine dosimetry data.
• Radiation and Us - covers common sources of natural and artificial radiation - in the environment, in the home, in the workplace and in medicine.
• Society of Nuclear Medicine - the main nuclear medicine society in the USA - describes what nuclear medicine is and how it relates to other medical imaging modalities. Career information is also included.
• American Society of Nuclear Cardiology - the main nuclear cardiology society in the USA.