The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine is classified as the branch of medicine that deals with the use of radioactive substances in research, diagnosis, and treatment. It’s imagery devices are used to determine the severity and treat a variety of diseases, including many types of cancers, heart disease, gastrointestinal, endocrine, neurological disorders and other abnormalities within the body. This category of medicine was first introduced when Ernest Orlando Lawrence invented the cyclotron. Ernest Lawrence was an American physicist, and his work on the cyclotron made him the “father of big science” and won him the Nobel Prize in 1939. A quote by Luis Alvarez describes just how far his advances in science go: "Lawrence will always be remembered as the inventor of the cyclotron, but more importantly, he should be remembered as the inventor of the modern way of doing science." This cyclotron is considered to be the grandfather of today’s most powerful
However, with the help of technological advances in nuclear medicine, including PET scans, cardiovascular imaging, and bone scanning, procedures requiring an inside look at the body has become quick, painless, and non-intrusive. Nuclear medicine uses radiotracers - small amounts of radioactive materials - that are inhaled, swallowed, or injected into the bloodstream. The radiotracer gives off energy in the form of gamma rays throughout the area of the body being examined. These rays are then detected by a camera and a computer to produce images of the inside of the body. This simple procedure allows medical professionals to diagnose diseases quicker and more efficiently than traditional surgical methods. This field of medicine also provides therapeutic procedures to those affected by cancer and thyroid diseases. Nuclear medicine has become a common practice all across the world and is treating and preventing diseases