Nuclear Medicine Physics: Radionuclide Production
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Questions and Answers

How many known radionuclides are there?

  • More than 4000
  • Less than 100
  • Over 1000
  • Around 2700 (correct)

What happens when an additional neutron is forced into a stable nucleus?

  • The nucleus becomes unstable
  • The atomic number of the nucleus increases
  • A neutron excess occurs (correct)
  • The mass of the nucleus remains unchanged

What is the result of forcing an additional proton into a stable nucleus, knocking out a neutron?

  • A neutron deficit occurs (correct)
  • The mass of the nucleus increases
  • The nucleus becomes stable
  • The atomic number of the nucleus decreases

In which type of facility do radionuclides produced through neutron excess have a long half-life?

<p>None of the above (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where are medical minicyclotrons usually located?

<p>At a hospital site (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the half-life range of radionuclides produced in a cyclotron?

<p>From less than a minute to a couple of hours (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the imaging technique that uses positron emitters?

<p>PET (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the process of radioactive disintegration considered to be?

<p>Stochastic (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is the quantity of radioactivity measured?

<p>By the transformation rate (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the SI unit of radioactivity?

<p>Becquerel (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the activity of a radioactive sample?

<p>The rate of disintegration (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens when gamma rays enter a detector?

<p>They may be registered individually as counts (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a cyclotron commonly used for in nuclear medicine?

<p>Producing radioactive isotopes for diagnostic scans and therapy (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of accelerating charged particles in a cyclotron?

<p>Collisions with a target material to produce radionuclides (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can molybdenum-99 be obtained?

<p>Through chemical separation from spent fuel rods (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a generator in producing radionuclides?

<p>To obtain a daughter product from a longer-lived radioactive parent (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to radionuclides with a neutron excess during radioactive transformation?

<p>They lose energy and become stable (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of a neutron changing into a proton plus an electron?

<p>A radionuclide with a neutron excess becomes stable (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are alpha or beta particles not used in imaging?

<p>They have a short range in tissue and deposit unnecessary dose in the patient (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the ideal energy range for gamma rays in imaging?

<p>50-300 keV (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of monoenergetic gamma rays?

<p>Scattered radiation can be eliminated by energy discrimination (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a desirable property of a radionuclide for imaging?

<p>Emission of gamma rays (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important for a radionuclide to be easily attached to a pharmaceutical?

<p>It has no affect on its metabolism (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a desirable property of a radiopharmaceutical?

<p>Localization in the target tissue (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of 123I over 125I in imaging?

<p>Superior imaging properties (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of 131I in medical applications?

<p>Thyroid ablation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the mechanism of decay for 123I?

<p>Electron capture (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of Xenon-133 in medical applications?

<p>Lung ventilation imaging (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the mechanism of production for Krypton-81m?

<p>Generator production (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the challenge associated with the use of Rubidium-81?

<p>Short half-life (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main use of Gallium-67 in medical applications?

<p>To detect tumours and abscesses (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the half-life of Indium-111?

<p>67 h (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main use of Indium-111 in medical applications?

<p>To label white blood cells and platelets (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the energy of gamma rays emitted by Indium-113?

<p>390 keV (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the most common PET radionuclide?

<p>18F (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main use of 18F in medical applications?

<p>To measure brain and heart metabolism (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the half-life of 123I?

<p>13 hours (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the energy of the gamma rays emitted by 123I?

<p>159 keV (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of 131I in medical applications?

<p>Thyroid ablation (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of Xenon-133 in medical applications?

<p>Lung ventilation imaging (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the half-life of Krypton-81m?

<p>7.13 seconds (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is it difficult to use Rubidium-81?

<p>It has a short half-life and must be used the day it is delivered. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is technetium-99m used for in gastric-emptying studies?

<p>Mixed with bran porridge (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of iodine-131 in medical applications?

<p>Thyroid imaging and treatment (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is technetium-99m labelled with for bone imaging?

<p>Methylene diphosphonate (MDP) (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the half-life of iodine-131?

<p>8 days (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is technetium-99m labelled with for cerebral imaging?

<p>Hexamethyl propylene amine oxime (HMPAO) (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of technetium-99m in medical applications?

<p>Cerebral blood flow imaging and testicular imaging (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of 123I over 125I in imaging?

<p>It decays by electron capture emitting 159 keV gamma rays (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is technetium-99m labelled with for bone imaging?

<p>methylene diphosphonate (MDP) (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of radiation does Xenon-133 emit?

<p>Low energy gamma rays (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which radionuclide can be blocked from the thyroid by administration of potassium perchlorate?

<p>Technetium-99m (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is technetium-99m labelled with for cerebral imaging?

<p>hexamethyl propylene amine oxime (HMPAO) (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of Krypton-81m in medical applications?

<p>Pulmonary ventilation studies (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the half-life of Iodine-123?

<p>13 hours (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is technetium-99m used for in gastric-emptying studies?

<p>Mixed with bran porridge (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of iodine-131 in medical applications?

<p>Thyroid imaging (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is Rubidium-81 difficult to use?

<p>It has a short half-life (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is technetium-99m used for in testicular imaging?

<p>SIS (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the energy of the gamma rays emitted by Iodine-123?

<p>159 keV (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of technetium-99m for radionuclide imaging?

<p>It has a pure gamma emission, allowing for better spatial resolution (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the generator in producing technetium-99m?

<p>To supply the radionuclide with its longer-lived parent (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is technetium-99m suitable for imaging?

<p>It forms a stable product in vitro and in vivo (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of using technetium-99m with a short half-life?

<p>It reduces the dose to the patient (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is technetium-99m supplied?

<p>It is supplied from a generator shielded with lead (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of technetium-99m that allows for reasonably large activity administration?

<p>Its short half-life and pure gamma emission (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Radionuclide

A specific type of atom that has an unstable nucleus, meaning it undergoes radioactive decay.

Radioactive Decay

The process in which a radioactive nucleus spontaneously transforms into another nucleus, emitting particles and/or energy.

Activity

The rate at which a radioactive sample decays, measured as the number of nuclear disintegrations per second.

Becquerel (Bq)

A unit of measurement for radioactive activity, equal to one disintegration per second.

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Cyclotron

A powerful machine that accelerates charged particles to high speeds, used to produce radioactive isotopes.

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Neutron Excess

A method of producing radionuclides by adding an extra neutron to a stable atom's nucleus.

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Proton Excess

A method of producing radionuclides by adding a proton to a stable atom's nucleus, knocking out a neutron.

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Radioactive Fission Product

A radionuclide produced by the breakdown of larger atoms during the process of nuclear fission.

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Daughter Product

A radionuclide produced by the decay of a longer-lived radioactive parent.

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Gamma Ray Emission

The emission of high-energy photons (gamma rays) that can be detected and used for imaging.

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Monoenergetic Gamma Emission

The property of emitting a single energy level of gamma rays, making it easier to distinguish from background noise.

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Pharmaceutical Attachment

The ability to be easily attached to pharmaceuticals for targeted imaging in the body.

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Specific Activity

The amount of radioactivity per unit volume, indicating the concentration of radioactive material.

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Technetium-99m (99mTc)

A radioactive isotope used in nearly 90% of medical imaging procedures due to its desirable properties.

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Indium-111 (111In)

A radioactive isotope with a short half-life, emitting gamma rays for effective imaging.

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Xenon-133 (133Xe)

A radioactive isotope used in lung ventilation imaging, produced in a nuclear reactor.

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Krypton-81m (81mKr)

A radioactive isotope used in pulmonary ventilation studies, generated from a longer-lived parent isotope.

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Gallium-67 (67Ga)

A radioactive isotope used to detect tumors and abscesses, produced using a cyclotron.

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Positron Emitter

A radioactive isotope that emits positrons, used in PET scans to create detailed images of organs and tissues.

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Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

A type of nuclear imaging technique that uses positron-emitting isotopes to create detailed images of organs and tissues.

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Half-Life

The time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to decay.

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Generator

A device that contains a longer-lived radioactive parent isotope and slowly releases a shorter-lived daughter isotope for medical use.

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Availability

The ability of a radionuclide to be conveniently obtained at the location where it is needed.

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141 keV Gamma Energy

An advantage of 99mTc for medical imaging, meaning it emits gamma rays within a narrow energy range, improving image quality.

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Short Half-Life and Pure Gamma Emission

A desirable property of 99mTc for medical imaging, allowing for a large amount of radioactivity to be given to the patient while minimizing radiation exposure during the scan.

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Molybdenum-99 (99Mo)

The parent isotope of 99mTc, with a longer half-life of 67 hours, making it suitable for storage and transportation.

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Collimation

The process of selectively blocking out (or attenuating) certain energy levels of gamma rays emitted by a radioactive source, making it a key component in gamma cameras.

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Gamma Camera

A device used in nuclear medicine to detect and measure the distribution of radioactive isotopes within the body.

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Stochastic Process

The probability of a radioactive nucleus decaying within a given time period, making it impossible to predict exactly when an individual atom will decay.

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Study Notes

Production of Radionuclides

  • There are over 2700 known radionuclides, and some are used in medical imaging.
  • Radionuclides are produced artificially in the following ways:
    • A) Neutron excess: forcing an additional neutron into a stable nucleus, resulting in a neutron excess, in a nuclear reactor.
    • B) Proton excess: forcing an additional proton into a stable nucleus, knocking out a neutron, in a cyclotron.
    • C) Radioactive fission products: extracted from spent fuel rods of nuclear reactors.
    • D) Daughter products: obtained from generators containing longer-lived radioactive parents.

Radionuclides in Medical Imaging

  • Desirable properties of radionuclides for imaging:
    • Emission of gamma rays (50-300 keV) for easy detection and spatial resolution.
    • No alpha or beta particle emission to minimize unnecessary dose to the patient.
    • Ideally, emission of monoenergetic gamma rays for easy energy discrimination.
    • Easily attached to pharmaceuticals at room temperature.
    • Readily available at the hospital site.
    • High specific activity (high activity per unit volume).

Radioactive Decay

  • Radioactive decay is a stochastic process, making it impossible to predict which nucleus will disintegrate next.
  • The activity of a radioactive sample is measured by the rate of disintegration (number of disintegrations per second).
  • The SI unit of activity is the Becquerel (Bq), with common units being megabecquerels (MBq) and gigabecquerels (GBq).

Cyclotrons

  • Cyclotrons are powerful machines that accelerate charged particles to produce radioactive isotopes.
  • They are commonly used in nuclear medicine to produce radionuclides for imaging and cancer treatment.

Other Radionuclides and Their Uses

  • Xenon-133 (133Xe): used in lung ventilation imaging, produced in a nuclear reactor, and has a half-life of 5.2 days.
  • Krypton-81m (81mKr): used in pulmonary ventilation studies, generator-produced, and has a half-life of 13 seconds.
  • Gallium-67 (67Ga): used to detect tumors and abscesses, cyclotron-produced, and has a half-life of 67 hours.
  • Indium-111 (111In): used to label white blood cells and platelets for locating abscesses and thrombosis, cyclotron-produced, and has a half-life of 67 hours.
  • Positron emitters: used in PET (positron emission tomography) scans, with common examples being 18F, 11C, 13N, 15O, and 82Rb.

Technetium-99m

  • 99mTc is used in 90% of radionuclide imaging, fulfilling many desirable criteria.
  • It has a gamma energy of 141 keV, making it easily collimated and absorbed in a thin crystal.
  • It has a short half-life (6 hours) and pure gamma emission, allowing for a reasonably large activity to be administered.
  • 99mTc is supplied from a generator containing the parent 99Mo, which can be produced in a nuclear reactor and has a 67 hour half-life.

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Description

This quiz covers the production of radionuclides, including the process of adding neutrons to a stable nucleus, and the role of nuclear reactors in this process. Learn about the creation of radionuclides used in medical imaging.

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