 |
|
Nuclear medicine now safer than ever
October 11, 2007Hospitals are now able to ensure that the correct dose is administered to the 670,000 patients that undergo nuclear medicine procedures every year due to a new device developed by scientists at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL).
The number of nuclear medicine procedures has increased by 36% over the last 10 years. 240 NHS sites around the country now use nuclear medicine, mostly for diagnostic scans on areas such as bone, lung perfusion, myocardium and the kidneys. Nuclear medicine is also used in cancer and thyroid therapy.
For most diagnostic procedures, radioactive compounds are injected into the body so that physiological images can be made with gamma cameras. Of course, the exact radioactivity of the dose is crucial, not only to the ultimate safety of the patient but also to the quality of the procedure. A low dose can result in inconclusive images whereas a high dose could cause harm to the patient.
A new instrument, called 'Fidelis', allows medical physicists to check their in-house instruments against the UK national standards for radioactivity. Once confident that their own instruments are measuring activity correctly, the right dose should always be given to the patient.
The instrument is comprised of an ionisation chamber designed by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK's national measurement institute and a brand new computer-controlled electrometer module from Southern Scientific Ltd (which manufactures and sells the instrument). An ionisation chamber is a gas filled enclosure between two conducting electrodes. When a radioactive source is placed near to the enclosure, gamma-rays emitted by the source ionise the gas - thus creating a current that can be measured by the electrometer.
Previously hospitals have used off-the-shelf Radionuclide Calibrators which needed re-calibrating every time new applications for nuclear medicine or a new design of vial came on stream. With Fidelis, this problem is solved.
'The ionisation chamber is an identical version of the master chamber here,' says Piers de Lavison, the Head of Radionuclide Metrology at NPL. 'It's like having NPL in a box - it is a great example of how our work contributes to quality assurance in healthcare, something that touches all our lives.'
National Physical Laboratory
A new instrument, called 'Fidelis', allows medical physicists to check their in-house instruments against the UK national standards for radioactivity. Once confident that their own instruments are measuring activity correctly, the right dose should always be given to the patient.
The instrument is comprised of an ionisation chamber designed by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK's national measurement institute and a brand new computer-controlled electrometer module from Southern Scientific Ltd (which manufactures and sells the instrument). An ionisation chamber is a gas filled enclosure between two conducting electrodes. When a radioactive source is placed near to the enclosure, gamma-rays emitted by the source ionise the gas - thus creating a current that can be measured by the electrometer.
Previously hospitals have used off-the-shelf Radionuclide Calibrators which needed re-calibrating every time new applications for nuclear medicine or a new design of vial came on stream. With Fidelis, this problem is solved.
'The ionisation chamber is an identical version of the master chamber here,' says Piers de Lavison, the Head of Radionuclide Metrology at NPL. 'It's like having NPL in a box - it is a great example of how our work contributes to quality assurance in healthcare, something that touches all our lives.'
National Physical Laboratory
Nuclear Medicine Current Events and Nuclear Medicine News RSSFibromyalgia can no longer be called the 'invisible' syndrome
Using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), researchers in France were able to detect functional abnormalities in certain regions in the brains of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, reinforcing the idea that symptoms of the disorder are related to a dysfunction in those parts of the brain where pain is processed.
MU scientists go green with gold, distribute environmentally friendly nanoparticles
Gold nanoparticles are everywhere. They are used in cancer treatments, automobile sensors, cell phones, blood sugar monitors and hydrogen gas production.
Carbon molecule with a charge could be tomorrow's semiconductor
Virginia Tech chemistry Professor Harry Dorn has developed a new area of fullerene chemistry that may be the backbone for development of molecular semiconductors and quantum computing applications.
Patients will face delays in getting diagnostic scans due to severe shortage of imaging agents
A global shortage of medical isotopes* used in over 80% of routine diagnostic nuclear imaging procedures such as heart imaging, bone scans and some cancer detection procedures, will cause delays and cancellations to diagnostic examinations across the UK and Europe in the next few weeks.
The future of non-invasive cardiac imaging
Imaging has gained attention in many areas of medicine but its relevance and importance in clinical cardiology cannot be underestimated.
PET scans lead to treatment changes in majority of colorectal cancer patients
In the largest multi-institutional study to date examining the impact of positron emission tomography (PET) in changing disease management of individuals with suspected recurrent colorectal cancer, researchers found that treatment plans were changed for more than half of patients.
Nature or Nurture-Are You Who Your Brain Chemistry Says You Are?
Researchers using positron emission tomography (PET) have validated a long-held theory that individual personality traits-particularly reward dependency-are connected to brain chemistry, a finding that has implications for better understanding and treating substance abuse and other addictive behaviors.
MDCT just as accurate as MRI in assessing myocardial infarction in emergency setting
Multidetector CT (MDCT) is just as accurate as MRI in assessing myocardial infarct size--an important predictor of clinical outcome-- in an emergency setting according to a recent study conducted by researchers in collaboration between the VA Medical Center in San Francisco, CA and the University Claude Bernard in Lyon, France.
Chest Pain Center Accreditation Linked with Better Outcomes in Heart Attack Patients
Hospitals accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) have been shown to perform better in the heart attack core measures established by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as compared to non-accredited hospitals, according to a national study led by an Emory University researcher.
Fair and adequate reimbursement is vital to developing life-saving medical treatments
Reimbursement of molecular imaging and therapies-leading to the early detection and diagnosis of many life-threatening diseases-remains an urgent and critical need as consumers face ever-increasing healthcare costs.
More Nuclear Medicine Current Events and Nuclear Medicine News Articles
 | Essentials of Nuclear Medicine Imaging (Essentials of Nuclear Medicine Imaging (Mettler)) by Fred A. Mettler, Milton J. Guiberteau Through four editions, this resource has established itself as the best introduction to nuclear imaging techniques. It is practical, yet comprehensive, covering physics, instrumentation, quality control, and legal requirements. The 5th Edition features a new color format, with many user-friendly features such as "Pearls and Pitfalls." More than 600 pictures in digital-quality resolution depict... |
 | Nuclear Medicine: The Requisites, Third Edition (Requisites in Radiology) by Harvey A. Ziessman, Janis P. O'Malley, James H. Thrall The 3rd Edition of this successful resource continues to present an easy and affordable way to master core knowledge and review important facts pertinent to the specialty. A concise, user-friendly format-with at-a-glance illustrations, boxes, and tables-enables you to access information quickly. Revised throughout to reflect the very latest advances in the field, it makes an excellent study... |
 | Nuclear Medicine Board Review: Questions and Answers for Self-Assessment by C. Richard Goldfarb, Jeffrey Cooper, Steven Parmett, Lionel Zuckier, Fukiat Ongseng, Maroun Karam Do you know what happens when a positron is emitted from a radionuclide? Do you know what the purpose of the photomultiplier tube (PMT) array is? What is the biologic half-life of inhaled 99mTc-DTPA in the lung? This edition of Nuclear Medicine Board Review provides thorough preparation for certification examinations by the American Board of Radiology (nuclear medicine section... |
 | Nuclear Medicine Physics: The Basics (Radiology Pocket Atlas Series) by Ramesh Chandra This widely used text is now fully updated to reflect the broad acceptance and availability of PET, including instrumentation and special radiation safety aspects. Also added are new information on radiopharmaceuticals, newer scintillation materials (BGO), fusion imaging (PET/CT and SPECT/CT), descriptions of SPECT filters, discussions on contrast detail curves, and radiation effects on cell... |
 | Physics in Nuclear Medicine by Simon R. Cherry, James Sorenson, Michael Phelps Experts in their fields provide up-to-date, comprehensive information on the physics underlying modern nuclear medicine and imaging using radioactively labeled tracers. They examine every aspect of the field--from basic atomic physics through radioactivity, isotope production, interaction of radiation with matter, radiation detection, and imaging systems. Examples are presented with solutions... |
 | Nuclear Medicine Case Review by Harvey A. Ziessman, Patrice K. Rehm This new volume in the popular CASE REVIEW series is the ideal text to prepare for certification and CAQ exams and ensure an up-to-date mastery of the field. Approximately 200 case studies challenge the reader's understanding to the radiologic interpretation and diagnosis for nuclear medicine. Each case study is followed by 3 or 4 questions that mimic the format of the certification exams.... |
 | Pediatric Nuclear Medicine/PET Upon publication of the first edition, Pediatric Nuclear Medicine emerged as the standard text in the field. Given the rapid expansion of nuclear medicine, particularly in pediatrics, over the past several years, the marketplace is ready for a new edition that reflects the latest advances in PET, SPECT, and oncology. This text is a welcome extension of the second edition that retains the... |
 | Diagnostic Imaging: Nuclear Medicine (Diagnostic Imaging) by Kathryn A. Morton, Paige B. Clark, Carl R. Christensen, Janis P. O'Malley, Todd M. Blodgett, Alan D. Waxman, Jeffrey S. Stevens, Ralph Drosten, Crispin A. Chinn, Robert W. Nance, Anita Thomas, Thomas F. Heston Authored by some of the world's preeminent authorities in its field, this new book represents today's best single source of guidance on nuclear imaging! It offers more details for each diagnosis · more representative images · more case data · and more current references than any other reference tool. At the same time, its user-friendly format lets you access all of this information remarkably... |
 | Nuclear Medicine Imaging: A Teaching File (LWW Teaching File Series) Thoroughly revised by a well-known nuclear medicine team, this teaching file reference presents 234 cases and over 600 images encompassing the gamut of procedures in contemporary clinical nuclear medicine. This Second Edition features many new cases highlighting the latest clinical and technological developments, including state-of-the-art PET/CT and SPECT/CT imaging in oncology and dramatic... |
 | Principles and Practice of Nuclear Medicine (Principles & Practice of Nuclear Medicine ( Early)) by Paul J. Early, D. Bruce Sodee with 40... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |