trace elements & radioactive isotopes

Question 1

what are the essential elements?

Question 2

what are trace elements?

Question 3

iodine is a trace element for synthesis of ____?

Answer 3

thyroid hormones

Question 4

what is goiter?

Answer 4

abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland

Question 5

what is the most common cause of goiter?

Answer 5

iodine deficiency

Question 6

iodine is a preventable cause of _____ ?

Answer 6

intellectual disability (theo)

Question 7

what are some signs/symptoms of iodine deficiency

Answer 7

• swelling of the neck (goiter)
• irregular heart rate
• dry, flaky skin
• problems during pregnancy
• feeling colder than usual
• heavy/irregular periods
• unexpected weight gain
• hair loss
• trouble learning/remembering
• fatigue

Question 8

iron deficiency causes ____?

Answer 8

anemia

Question 9

what is anemia?

Answer 9

a condition in which blood lacks
adequate healthy red blood cells →

red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s tissues with the help of hemoglobin

Question 10

what are some signs/symptoms of iron deficiency

Answer 10

• extreme fatigue
• weakness
• pale skin
• brittle nails
• chest pain/fast heartbeat/ shortness of breath
• headache, dizziness
• cold hands and feet
• mouth ulcers
• unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances

Question 11

what is the importance of zinc?

Answer 11

it is involved in numerous aspected of cellular metabolism

(protein/DNA synthesis, cell division, growth & development)

Question 12

what are some signs/symptoms of zinc deficiency

Answer 12

• eye/skin lesions
• poor wound healing
• reduced resistance to infections
• mental confusion
• poor learning
• changes in hair & nails
• anemia

Question 13

which trace element’s intake is needed only a few milligrams per day?

Answer 13

fluorine

Question 14

what does fluorine deficiency cause?

Answer 14

increased dental caries and osteoporosis

Question 16

what are radioactive isotopes?

Answer 16

isotopes with an unstable nucleus

Question 17

how do radioactive isotopes work?

Answer 17

break down to emit radiation, they give off particles and excess energy until the nucleus becomes stable

Question 18

what are some clinical applications of radioisotopes?

Answer 18

• disease treatment (radiotherapy)
• disease diagnosis (imaging)
• assessment of degree of disease severity
• treatment monitoring
• sterilization of medical equipment

Question 19

which radioactive element is used in radiation therapy to treat cancer?

Answer 19

cobalt-60

Question 20

which radioactive element is used to locate brain tumors, monitor cardiac, liver, and thyroid activity?

Answer 20

iodine-131

Question 21

which radioactive element is used to study metabolism changes for patients with diabetes, gout, and anemia?

Answer 21

carbon-14

Question 22

which radioactive element is used to tag onto glucose to monitor organs during a PET scan

Answer 22

carbon-11

Question 23

which radioactive element is used to study blood circulation

Answer 23

sodium-24

Question 24

which radioactive element is used to determine damage in heart tissue and detect tumors?

Answer 24

thallium-201

Question 25

which radioactive element is used to locate brain tumors and damaged heart cells and is a radiotracer in medical diagnostics?

Answer 25

technetium-99

Question 26

how is radiotherapy used to target cancer cells?

Answer 26

• cancerous growths can be controlled or eliminated by irradiating the area containing the growth
• damages both cancer and normal cells → but the normal cells are able to recover if the treatment is carefully controlled

Question 27

what are some general side effects of radiotherapy?

Answer 27

• skin problems (dryness, itching, blistering, peeling)
• fatigue (tiredness and weakness)
• loss of hair in the treatment area

Question 28

how is radioactive iodine ( I131 ) used to treat hyperthyroidism?

Answer 28

• gradually shrinks the thyroid ultimately destroying the gland (radiotherapy)

Question 29

how is radioiodine administered?

Answer 29

in a liquid or capsule form

Question 30

what are some short-term side effects

Answer 30

• neck tenderness and swelling
• Nausea and vomiting
• Swelling and tenderness of the salivary glands
• Dry mouth
• Taste changes

Question 31

how is cobalt-60 used to treat cancer?

Answer 31

it is extensively employed as a radiation source (γ-radiation) to arrest the development of cancer

(gamma knife radiosurgery)

Question 32

what are some examples of radioactive isotopes in palliative medicine?

Answer 32

strontium-89, samarium-153, and rhenium-186 are used for the relief of cancer-induced bone pain

Question 33

how are radioactive isotopes used in imaging?

Answer 33

a radioisotope used for diagnosis must emit gamma rays (mostly positrons) of sufficient energy to escape from the body

Question 34

a radioisotope must have ______ for it to decay away soon after imaging is completed

Answer 34

a half-life short enough

Question 35

an example of imaging is a PET scan, how does it produce a 3D image of functional processes in the body?

Answer 35

it detects positrons emitted by a radioisotope (tracer) introduced into the body as part of a biologically active molecule (F18)

FDG (fluodeoxyglucose)]

Question 36

what is an advantage of nuclear imaging over X-ray techniques?

Answer 36

both bone and soft tissue can be imaged very successfully