FUNDAMENTAL S OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE BY DR IRURHE

23RD MARCH 2009

Radionuclide decay terms and relationships

Activity: This is the number of radionuclide atoms undergoing nuclear transformation per unit time (t) A = - d N/dt A = Activity dN = change in the total umber of radioactive atoms (N) dt = given period of time.

 The minus radioactive sign indicates that the radioactive atoms decreases with time. unit in Beequerel (Bq) or corie (c:). Decay constant () The decay constant is equal to the fraction of the number radioactive atoms remaining in a sample that decay per unit time. The relationship between activity and () is given by A = N/t N dn/dt = N : A = N

 Half life (T1/2) This is the time required for the number of radioactive atoms in a sample to decrease by one half. The decay constant and physical half life are related as follows = Ln2/Tp1/2 Radionuclide used in nuclear medicine typically have half lives on the order of hours or days. Example: Technetium 99m (99m Tc) 6.02hr fluorine 18 (18FL) 110mm

1. Nuclear Transformation Spontaneous transformation of the atomic nuclear is called radioactive decay. If the daughter nuclear is stable this spontaneous transformation ends. If not it continues.

The ways of radionuclinde decay Alpha decay emission of alpha particdes A A 4 Z Z 2 + 4/2 H + Energy Beta minus (Negatron) Decay beta particles are emitted. A/Z A/z+1 _ + energy. Beta plus Decay (positron emission) positron Particles are emitted A/Z A/Z-1 + +energy.

 Electron capture decay: Electron are captured by the nucleus A/Z A/Z-1 energy. Isometric transition Gamma ray emission A/zm energy.

3. Choice of nuclear medicine Non traumatic, non invasive and simplicity Small amount of radionuclide is required It is very fast Result period both morphologic and dynamic Function It can be used in all aspects of diagnostic Medicine.

4.Physical Criteria for choice of radionuclide High activity to obtain good image quality minimize data acquisition time Type of decay Beta invitro, alpha external detectn. Easy radiopharmaceutical preparation Convenience of administration Physical half life and effective half life of the radionuclide to allow complete investigation Non toxicity end no side effect Affinity of the product

Technical considerations for choosing radionuclide

Injection of radio-pharmaceutical Penetration of emitted radiation Possibility of external detection Study of activity as function of time Analysis of biological samples Interpretation of result

Radionuclide production
Cyclotron produced radionuclides: Cyclotrons produce radionuclide by bombarding stable nuclear unit high with energy charged particles. Examples of radionuclide produced in cyclotrons - Iodine 123 - Indium 111 - Cobalt - 67 - Thallium - 201

 Neutron activation - Neutrons produce by the fission of uranium in nuclear reactor can be used to create Radionuclide by bombarding stable target material placed in the reactors. This process is called neutron activity which involves the capture of neutrons by stable nuclear, which Result is production of radionuclide nuclei

Radionuclide generator : This is a system for holding the parent in such a Way with the daughter can be easily seperated for chemical vise with all radionuclide generator, the chemical properties of the parent and daughter are different Example Technical 99m (Tc 99), Zin c 68 (zn 68) k system 82 (kr 82)

Radiopharmacericals: Ideal radiopharmaceuticals must have the following characteritics Low radiation does to patient while preserving diagnostic quality of the image. Maximum target/non target radio for various organ system It must be safe i.e. low toxicity It must be convenient It must be readily available to minimize cost

Nuclear imaging Emission tomography: Simple photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) Sample crossectional slices of the radionuclide distribution In the patient are generated by taking images of the patient from various angles and then using these to constant the slices with a computer. SPECT refer Tomography based on the use of a single photon emitter. The remain head or heads of a SPECT revolve about the patient acquirng projection images from evenly spaced angles.

The head or heads may acquire the images while moving (contiunous acquisition ) or may stop at predefined angles to acquire the Images (step and shoot acquisition) the spatial resolution and the detection efficiency of SPECT determine by the collimation. Position emission tomography (PET) Position emission tomography (PET) generates images depicting the distribution of positron -emitting nuclides in patient.PET scanners use annihilation detection (ACD)

instead of collimation to obtain projections of the activity distribution in the subject. The PET System, computer then reconstructs the tranverse images from the projection data, as does the Computer of an x ray CT or SEPCT system. Example of radionuclide used in PET are: C 11, N 13, 0 15, F 18,Rb 82.

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