Imaging in Inflammatory Disorders and Infection

Question 1

What are different kinds of molecular imaging?

Answer 1

Radionuclide imaging (CT/X ray)

Positron emission tomography (PET)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Optical imaging

Question 2

What is gamma radation?

Answer 2

Occurs due to radioactive decay of unstable isotopes

Question 3

What is radiopharmaceuticals?

Answer 3

A combination of radioactive element and a pharmaceutical element

Question 4

What are the properties of an ideal isotope?

Answer 4

Half-life similar to length of examination

Gamma emitter, rather than alpha or beta

Energy of gamma rays should be 50-300keV

Readily available at hospital site

Easily bound to pharmaceuitcal component

Question 5

What are common radiopharmaceuticals?

Answer 5

Hydroxyl-diphosphonate (bone)

Dimercapto-succinic acid (kidney)

Hexamethyl-propine amine oxime (brain)

Macroaggregated albumin (lung)

Question 6

What is hydroxyl-diphosphonate used to scan?

Answer 6

Bone

Question 7

What is dimercapto-succinic acid used to scan?

Answer 7

Kidney

Question 8

What is hexamethyl-propine amine oxime used to scan?

Answer 8

Brain

Question 9

What is macroaggregated albumin used to scan?

Answer 9

Lung

Question 10

What is a gamma camera used for?

Answer 10

To detect gamma rays and convert them into an image

Question 11

What is the process of a gamma camera?

Answer 11

1) Nuclear energy is inside the nucleus of the radioactive element
2) Gamma electromagnetic energy (gamma ray is emitted from the patient)
3) Image crystal produces flashes of light
4) Converted into electrical energy to display an image

Question 12

What does the image quality of a gamma camera depend on?

Answer 12

Radiation dose

Collimator

Metal objects

Proximity of area of interest to the camera

Question 13

What is SPECT?

Answer 13

Single proton emission computed tomography

Question 14

What is a SPECT scan?

Answer 14

A nuclear version of a CT scan where the camcer is roated around an area of interest

Question 15

What does PET stand up for?

Answer 15

Positron emission tomography

Question 16

What is a PET scan?

Answer 16

Uses nucleotide decay by positron emission

Question 17

What does a proton breakdown into during a PET scan?

Answer 17

Proton breaks down into a neutron and a positron

Question 18

How many detectors does a PET scan use?

Answer 18

2 detectors that capture the gamma ray at each side of the patient and are used to create an image

Question 19

What are common PET radionuclides and their half lifes?

Answer 19

¹⁸F 110 minutes

¹¹C 20 minutes

¹³N 10 minutes

¹⁵O 2 minutes

Question 20

What is ¹⁸F?

Answer 20

Flurodeoxy glucose

Question 21

What is the process of ¹⁸F (flurodeoxy glucose) uptake?

Answer 21

Up taken like glucose being broken down into similar chemicals, stopping at ¹⁸FDG-6-P (equivalent of glucose6-phosphate)

Question 22

What is FDG taken up by?

Answer 22

Brain

Myocardium

Stomach

Liver

Spleen

Colon

Urinary tract

Question 23

What is the main risk of using radiation?

Answer 23

It is ionising and can induce cancer

Question 24

What is the benefit of using radiation?

Answer 24

The contributions to treatment and diagnosis of the patient

Question 25

How does the equilvalent dose compare for different kinds of imaging?

Answer 25

They have different equivalent doses with different risks of developing cancer in your lifetime