ÁREA DA RADIOLOGIA - MEDICINA NUCLEAR | Radiologando

Summary

This educational video, sponsored by Politec, Recife, introduces the field of nuclear medicine, a specialty within radiology that offers both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. It explains the use of radiopharmaceuticals, which are radioactive compounds that target specific organs, and how they differ from traditional radiological contrast. The video also covers the unique imaging process in nuclear medicine, known as scintigraphy, and highlights the importance of radiological protection due to the patient being the source of radiation. It touches on the concept of radiopharmaceutical half-life and the significance of physiological imaging over anatomical. The host encourages viewers to engage with the content, subscribe for more, and follow on social media for updates.

Takeaways

• 🏥 The video is sponsored by Politec, an institution in Recife that offers courses in radiology, nursing, and other medical fields.
• 📚 The speaker introduces the topic of nuclear medicine, a specialty within radiology that includes both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
• 💡 Nuclear medicine utilizes radiopharmaceuticals, which are radioactive compounds that target specific organs or systems in the body to emit radiation for imaging.
• 🔎 The imaging process in nuclear medicine is distinct; patients emit radiation that is captured by the machine to form an image, unlike traditional radiology where the machine emits and captures the radiation.
• 🏷 Scintigraphy is the term used for nuclear medicine exams, highlighting the unique process of energy capture and image formation.
• 📈 Nuclear medicine focuses on physiological rather than anatomical imaging, aiming to show how organs or systems are functioning and detecting metabolic changes.
• 👩‍⚕️ Both radiology technicians and technologists can work in nuclear medicine, although additional training or qualifications can be beneficial.
• ⚠️ Radiological protection is crucial in nuclear medicine due to the patient being the source of radiation, requiring professionals to use personal protective equipment.
• 🛡 Contamination is a potential risk in nuclear medicine, but it is managed through strict protocols to ensure safety for patients and staff.
• ⏳ Radiopharmaceuticals have a defined physical half-life, which determines the duration of radioactive contamination and influences radiological protection measures.
• 🔠 Nuclear medicine uses specific nomenclature for image interpretation, with terms like 'hot' for high radiopharmaceutical concentration and 'cold' for low concentration.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to provide an introduction to nuclear medicine, its characteristics, and how exams are performed in this medical specialty.

What types of courses does Politec offer?

Politec offers courses in radiology, nursing, clinical analysis, administration, and accounting.

What are radiopharmaceuticals and how do they differ from radiological contrast?

Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive chemical compounds that have an affinity for specific organs or systems in the human body and are used in nuclear medicine. They differ from radiological contrast, which is used in other imaging modalities and is not radioactive.

How does image formation in nuclear medicine differ from common radiodiagnosis?

In nuclear medicine, the patient emits radiation, and the machine absorbs this energy to form an image. In contrast, in common radiodiagnosis, the equipment emits radiation, which is then absorbed to form the image.

What is scintigraphy and why is it used in nuclear medicine?

Scintigraphy is a nuclear medicine imaging technique that involves the capture and processing of energy emitted by radiopharmaceuticals within the body to form an image. It is used due to the physical phenomenon that occurs during the energy capture process.

What are the two imaging diagnosis techniques mentioned in the video?

The two imaging diagnosis techniques mentioned are SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) and PET (Positron Emission Tomography).

How is nuclear medicine imaging different from anatomical imaging?

Nuclear medicine imaging is more physiology-oriented, focusing on how organs or systems are functioning and any metabolic alterations, rather than just their anatomical structure.

What is the significance of the term 'hot' and 'cold' in scintigraphic images?

In scintigraphic images, 'hot' refers to areas with a high concentration of radiopharmaceutical, indicating hyper-uptake, while 'cold' refers to areas with a low concentration, indicating hypo-uptake.

Why is radiological protection important in nuclear medicine?

Radiological protection is crucial in nuclear medicine because the patient emits radiation after receiving radiopharmaceuticals. Professionals must use personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize radiation exposure.

What is the difference between irradiation and contamination in the context of nuclear medicine?

Irradiation refers to exposure to radiation, while contamination implies the presence of radioactive material on surfaces or within objects. In nuclear medicine, both can occur, but contamination is controlled and managed to ensure safety.

What is the significance of the physical half-life of radiopharmaceuticals?

The physical half-life of radiopharmaceuticals determines the time it takes for the radioactive material's energy to decrease by half, which is important for radiological protection and biosafety, as shorter half-lives reduce the time of potential contamination.

Outlines

00:00

🏥 Introduction to Nuclear Medicine

The video, sponsored by Politec in Recife, introduces the field of nuclear medicine, a specialty within radiology that offers both diagnostic and therapeutic exams. The speaker expresses enthusiasm for the subject and invites viewers to explore related content through provided links. The video aims to provide an introductory understanding of nuclear medicine, including its characteristics and the process of performing exams. The speaker also encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and follow their social media for updates on weekly content.

05:01

📚 Understanding Nuclear Medicine Techniques

This segment delves into the technical aspects of nuclear medicine, contrasting it with traditional radiology. Nuclear medicine utilizes radiopharmaceuticals that are taken up by specific organs or systems in the body, emitting radiation for imaging. The imaging process, known as scintigraphy, involves the patient emitting radiation that is captured by the machine to form an image. The video discusses various types of scintigraphy exams and emphasizes the physiological focus of nuclear medicine imaging, which is more about organ function than anatomy. The speaker also introduces the concept of radiopharmaceuticals and their importance in nuclear medicine procedures.

10:03

🛡️ Radiological Protection and Contamination in Nuclear Medicine

The final paragraph discusses the importance of radiological protection in nuclear medicine, where professionals must use personal protective equipment due to the radiation emitted by patients after receiving radiopharmaceuticals. The video highlights the difference between irradiation and contamination, with an assurance that proper safety measures are in place to prevent accidents. The concept of radioactive material's physical half-life is introduced, explaining how it influences the duration of contamination and safety protocols. The video concludes with a brief overview of the nomenclature used in nuclear medicine, such as 'hot' and 'cold' areas, and invites viewers to engage with the content by asking questions or requesting more topics.

Keywords

💡Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that involves the use of radioactive substances, or radiopharmaceuticals, to diagnose and treat diseases. In the video, it is described as a specialty that offers both diagnostic and therapeutic exams in radiology. It is distinct from other forms of medical imaging because it involves the patient emitting radiation rather than the equipment, which then captures this radiation to form images. The video emphasizes that nuclear medicine is more physiology-oriented, focusing on how organs function and any metabolic changes, rather than just their anatomical structure.

💡Radiopharmaceuticals

Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive chemical compounds used in nuclear medicine. They are designed to have an affinity for specific organs or systems within the human body, emitting radiation that can be captured to form images. The video explains that unlike radiological contrast used in other imaging techniques, radiopharmaceuticals are central to nuclear medicine, where they are administered to patients and later emit radiation that is captured by machines to create images.

💡Scintigraphy

Scintigraphy is a diagnostic imaging technique used in nuclear medicine that involves the use of gamma cameras to capture and analyze the gamma rays emitted by radiopharmaceuticals distributed within the body. The video mentions that scintigraphy is the term used for exams in nuclear medicine due to the physical phenomenon that occurs during the capture and processing of energy for image formation. Examples of scintigraphy mentioned include bone, pulmonary, and myocardial scintigraphy.

💡Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)

SPECT is a type of nuclear medicine imaging that uses gamma cameras to obtain data from multiple angles and then reconstructs cross-sectional images of the radiopharmaceutical distribution within the body. The video refers to SPECT as one of the two imaging diagnosis techniques used in nuclear medicine, highlighting its importance in creating detailed images that show the function of organs and potential metabolic issues.

💡Radiological Protection

Radiological protection in the context of nuclear medicine involves the use of protective equipment and procedures to minimize exposure to radiation. The video stresses the importance of radiological protection for professionals working in nuclear medicine, as they are dealing with radioactive substances. It mentions the use of lead aprons, thyroid protectors, and eyeglasses with blisters to reduce radiation exposure.

💡Biodistribution

Biodistribution refers to the distribution of a substance, such as a radiopharmaceutical, throughout the body after administration. The video explains that after a patient receives a radiopharmaceutical, there is a biodistribution time during which the substance travels through the body to reach the organ or system of interest. This is a critical aspect of nuclear medicine, as it determines the timing of when the patient can undergo imaging procedures.

💡Contamination

Contamination in nuclear medicine refers to the unintended presence of radioactive material on surfaces or within objects, which can occur during procedures where radiopharmaceuticals are used. The video discusses the potential for contamination and the measures taken to control it, emphasizing that while contamination can happen, it is managed and does not pose a risk to patients or professionals.

💡Half-life

The half-life of a radioactive substance is the time it takes for half of the substance's radioactivity to decay. In the video, the concept of half-life is used to explain how radioactive contamination is temporary, as the radiopharmaceuticals used have short half-lives, reducing the risk of prolonged exposure. The video provides examples of substances like technetium-99m with a half-life of about six hours and fluorine-18 with a half-life of about two hours.

💡Hyper-uptake and Hypo-uptake

Hyper-uptake and hypo-uptake are terms used in nuclear medicine to describe the concentration of radiopharmaceuticals in different areas of the body during imaging. Hyper-uptake indicates an area of high concentration, suggesting increased metabolic activity, while hypo-uptake indicates a lower concentration. The video uses these terms to describe the interpretation of scintigraphic images, where 'hot' areas show high uptake and 'cold' areas show low uptake.

💡Radiation Safety

Radiation safety encompasses the practices and precautions taken to protect individuals from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. The video touches on the importance of radiation safety in nuclear medicine, detailing the use of protective equipment and the management of radioactive waste to minimize exposure and ensure the safety of both patients and healthcare professionals.

Highlights

Sponsorship by Politec, Recife, for education in radiology, nursing, and other medical fields.

Introduction to nuclear medicine as a specialty within radiology.

Nuclear medicine's unique ability to offer both diagnostic and therapeutic exams.

The use of radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine instead of radiological contrast.

Differences in image formation between nuclear medicine and common radiodiagnosis.

Explanation of the term 'scintigraphy' and its role in nuclear medicine.

Types of scintigraphy exams, such as bone, pulmonary, and myocardial scintigraphy.

Introduction to single emission computed tomography (SPECT) in nuclear medicine.

The physiological focus of nuclear medicine imaging compared to the anatomical focus of other radiodiagnostic techniques.

The importance of understanding the biodistribution time of radiopharmaceuticals.

Opportunities for radiology technicians and technologists to work in nuclear medicine.

Emphasis on radiological protection as a key requirement in nuclear medicine.

The concept of background radiation and its significance in nuclear medicine procedures.

The potential for contamination in nuclear medicine and its management.

The role of radioactive material's physical half-life in nuclear medicine.

Nomenclature used in nuclear medicine exams, such as hyper-uptake and hypo-uptake.

Invitation for viewers to engage with the content and ask questions or request more topics.

Transcripts

Hi, how are you? This video is being sponsored by Politec

Recife. And if you are from Recife or nearby regions and

are looking to take a course in radiology, nursing,

clinical analysis, administration or accounting,

this place is for you. Politec, reference in technical education.

So, Radiologando staff. Are you okay? We are

here for another video on the channel. And today I'm going to talk

about a very cool content, which is about nuclear medicine.

Which I particularly love. And we already have one

here that I commented on this subject here. So if

you want take a look at the description here or at the

description link which I'm sure you'll like too. And

today I'm going to give you some introductory aspects, tell you

what nuclear mention is, what are its characteristics and

how exams are performed there. But calm down, before

starting the video, I would like you there to leave your like

and like the video to help our work. And if you are

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Without further ado. Let's go to the video?

But before starting the video, I wanted to give you something new

. It's a new resource that we at Radiologando have opened for

you to increase and raise your level of studies, which is the

ward to be a member, in which you can count on plans,

which will help you to learn more and more about radiology.

So, if you are curious and want to know a little more,

click below, in the wing, become a member and watch the video

to learn more about this new feature. Well, as I

said, today I'm going to bring you a video that's different from what you

're used to, because there are many people who haven't

completed the course yet, who are still studying and have never heard of

nuclear medicine. Nuclear medicine, in turn,

is one of the specialties that, in turn, also offers

diagnostic and therapeutic exams in radiology.

Yes, in nuclear medicine, in addition to diagnostic tests, that

is, to generate results, we are also able to carry out

therapeutic procedures, procedures that are one of the

characteristics attributed and linked to nuclear medicine.

Also different from most radiognostics, many

people think that in nuclear medicine, radiological contrast is applied

, but actually what are used in nuclear medicine

are radiopharmaceuticals, which in turn is a radioactive chemical

compound , which in turn will having an affinity

with some organ or system of the human body that will also

emit radiation in order to form an image. And speaking

of image formation, in nuclear medicine it happens totally

differently too. In common radiodiagnosis,

the equipment will basically emit the radiation and the equipment

itself will absorb this

radiation in order to form the image. In nuclear medicine, however, it

is the opposite. The patient is going to emit radiation and the

machine, in turn, will have the simple function of absorbing this

energy, capping this energy, and then forming the image. The term

used in nuclear medicine to be able to perform the exams

would be called scintigraphy due to the physical phenomenon that

occurs in the capture process and the entire process

of energy processing for image formation. So

there are several types of exams to be performed.

Bone scintigraphy, pulmonary scintigraphy,

myocardial scintigraphy , among many others. Not to mention

also that nuclear medicine has two, remembering that

nuclear medicine is not a diagnostic technique, it is a

medical specialty and in this medical specialty there are

two imaging diagnosis techniques which is aeaa is

single emission computed tomography, it is

emission tomography of deposits. Differently from what is

used in the vast majority of radiognostics, which are

X-rays, in mecinuclear gamma rays are used or

even in the technique in which a different process

for the formation of the image will occur . However,

regardless of the type of drug or even a type of rays

that is used in nuclear medicine, they will act in a

specific way . After all, nuclear medicine imaging is

more physiology-oriented than anatomy-oriented. You

are now seeing images of scintigraphy

on your screen , that is, images that are performed in

nuclear medicine, both technically and technically, and you

can see that the image is not anatomical at all,

why? The image is more physiological, it

aims to demonstrate how that

organ or even that system is working and if the patient has

any metabolic alteration, the image will demonstrate this,

not to mention that in the nuclear mess, each organ for in turn,

it will react differently to each type of

radiopharmaceutical that is used, so several different

types of radiopharmaceuticals are used and all of them with a

purpose to demonstrate possible metabolic changes or not

in relation to the human body, so I cannot put a

radiopharmaceutical which is used for a bone scintigraphy the

same for myocardial scintigraphy or vice versa. For

each organ for each system there is a specific radiopharmaceutical to

be used. Remembering that the radiopharmaceutical is a chemical

compound plus a radioactive compound that are joined together that

are marked to be administered to the patient and

different from the common technique when the patient receives the

radiopharmaceutical, why can't he immediately perform the

procedure? This radiopharmaceutical has to

travel throughout the body until it reaches the organ or system

of interest and for this there is a biodistribution time

for each drug, sometimes the patient to be able to enter the

examination room to be able to perform the procedure may

take two, three and even four hours as in the example of

static renal scintigraphy, so it is very important for

us to know all this. Of course, we learn this

gradually, that is, little by little. And you must be asking

yourself , okay, professor, as a technician or as a technologist

in radiology, can I work in nuclear medicine? Yes, both

technicians and technologists can work in nuclear and detail, it 's not

that you necessarily need to have a qualification

course , have an extension course, have a

postgraduate degree or a specialization to work.

Of course, this helps, not only on your resume, but also on your

knowledge. But you can work in nuclear medicine

, you can start to learn to work in

nuclear medicine, you can do an internship in

nuclear medicine so that you can learn how the entire

procedure is performed . But know that it's totally different.

Radiodiagnosis. One of the very important

requirements that is applied to nuclear medicine is radiological

protection . As I said, it is not the equipment that will emit

radiation, it is the patient that will emit radiation after receiving the

administration of the radiopharmaceutical. So basically, the

professional who works in nuclear medicine

must use the lead apron, the thyroid protector

and the eyeglasses with blisters, why? It's not just

what will emit radiation. In the nuclear medicine service

there is a radiation called background radiation or radiation

which in turn is very characteristic of the hot sole and

also of the procedure rooms where patients

undergo examinations. So it is very important for us

professionals to use all PPE throughout the working

hours. In order to optimize, reduce the amount of

radiation absorbed during our work. Another

characteristic that can occur in nuclear medicine is

contamination. Unlike other radiognostic

services , we simply have irradiation there, but in

nuclear medicine, in addition to irradiation, we also have

contamination. Of course, it is not that we are going to have contamination,

but that there may be contamination, but the

contamination, in turn, is controlled. Don't worry,

you won't be at risk and there won't be any

kind of accident. Rest assured. These are just criteria

that can happen in the nuclear service. And if you want,

I can bring a video here explaining the difference between

irradiation and contamination. The difference between each of them

and their characteristics. But yes, contamination

can occur while performing a procedure.

After all, the radiopharmaceutical will be inside

the patient. Yes, it depends a lot on the clinical condition

he is in, he can vomit, he can urinate and in this vomit this

urine can contain radioactive material, so that area

is contaminated, but it is not contaminated for the rest of his life,

even because the radiopharmaceutical is the radioactive material it has

a physical half-life, which is another criterion,

another characteristic, that is, the half-life

time will basically determine the final energy of this

radioactive material . There are several types of time in

nuclear medicine , in the technique the most used is the ninety-nine

stable target, which in turn has a half-life there

of approximately six hours. It means that every six hours

your energy will drop by half, that is, in three,

four days at most that area that was contaminated,

that area is now totally free of

contamination and totally safe. So there's no way to

worry. Not to mention also that in the radiosoxide technique most

used, which is fluor eighteen, it has a half-life

of approximately two hours. So, note that the

half-life attributed to radioactive compounds that are

used for radiopharmaceutical labeling has a

short half-life and this greatly favors radiological protection

and biosafety for everyone involved, both

patients and professionals. And to finish the video, we

also have the nomenclature that is assigned to the exams that are

carried out in the nuclear service. Unlike what we see in the

radiodiagnostic image as radiopaque, radiolucent,

hyperattenuating, hypoattenuating, in nuclear medicine, how we

work with capture, in the image when we have a hot area

, that is, an area that has a much higher concentration

of radiopharma , we said that in that area there was

a hyper-uptake and in the cooler areas, in the areas that are

a little darker, we call that area

a low radiopharmaceutical. So, that area has a

hypocapitating feature. Hypercapitative is very uplifting

. Hippocapitante has little uptake and where we do not have

any signal it is characterized as an absence of signal. So it is

very common also in scintigraphic images that we use

the terms that region is very hot. This region is

very cold. It actually means that this region has

a high concentration of radiopharmaceutical and that region has a

low concentration of radiopharmaceutical. So, did you learn?

I hope so. I also hope you enjoyed

the video, but if you still have any questions, leave it here in the

comments and Radiologando will answer for you. But if

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I'm sticking around here and I'll see you in the next video. Thanks.