Radioactive Tracers

Nuclear medicine uses radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosing and treating diseases. Techniques like PET and SPECT imaging employ radioactive tracers to create images for diagnosis. PET involves injecting or swallowing a tracer that emits positrons, while SPECT uses gamma rays. These methods help identify diseases like cancer and heart conditions. Treatments such as brachytherapy and gamma knife radiosurgery use radiation to target tumors, with radionuclides having longer half-lives for extended treatment.

What are the differences between PET and SPECT imaging techniques?

How do treatments like brachytherapy and gamma knife radiosurgery utilize nuclear medicine?