subject: The Inner Workings Of Gamma Cameras And Nuclear Medical Imaging [print this page] Medical technology has evolved over centuries, but it has exploded in the last few decades, as imaging and microscopic technology allows us an unprecedented perspective on the human body and condition. One of the most impressive steps in this direction has been nuclear medical imaging or gamma imaging, which allows doctors and physicians an "inside" look at the physiological condition of human systems. This provides them with enormous advantages when trying to diagnose diseases without having to perform invasive surgery and remove a tissue sample. This article will try and summarize this fascinating process and its many benefits.
It is probably best to think of nuclear medical imaging as an X-ray in reverse. X-rays works by emitting electromagnetic radiation towards the body, and it reveals the outlines of the solid parts of the body (i.e., bones) that do not let the radiation pass through to the camera on the other side. Nuclear or gamma medical imaging is where a patient imbibes a small, harmless dose of radiation, usually through a pill, and the waves of radiation are then capture by a gamma or nuclear camera.
But why would you want to see radiation from within the body? Nuclear medical imaging can trace how that pharmaceutical is being processed by certain systems within the body, which then help give doctors an idea of the health and status of those systems. For example, let's say you have been having issues with the thyroid glands and the doctor wants to be able to see how well it is functioning. By designing a radiopharmaceutical that will pass through that gland, the doctors can see if bloodflow, oxygen, and other bodily processes are flowing through that gland as they should. If there are anomalies or if the gland appears misshapen, doctors can then help surmise what type of disease might be afflicting the gland or if cancerous cells might be present. This can all be done quickly and easily, without the pain, costs, and recovery of invasive surgery.
This type of examination is made possible by gamma cameras, which are specially designed to absorb and display gamma and nuclear radiation that is emitted from the radiopharmaceutical. Gamma cameras are comprised of layers of crystals, and as gamma radiation lands on the crystals, their electrons are knocked loose and leave the trace of a flash of light. This process is similar to the photoelectric effect. With the combination of these cameras and radiopharmaceuticals, doctors and physicians have been able to examine the inner workings of the body like never before.
