Basic Physics of Nuclear Medicine


Nuclear Medicine is a fascinating application of nuclear physics. The first ten chapters of this wikibook are intended to support a basic introductory course in an early semester of an undergraduate program. They assume that students have completed decent high school programs in maths and physics and are concurrently taking subjects in the medical sciences. Additional chapters cover more advanced topics in this field. Our focus in this wikibook is the diagnostic application of Nuclear Medicine. Therapeutic applications are considered in a separate wikibook, "Radiation Oncology".

Note that this WikiBooks is well past its use-by date. Some of the basic physics might still be of relevance, but the technologies and applications chapters need substantial updating.

A companion wikibook on the Basic Physics of Digital Radiography is also available.

Contents

 
  1. Atomic & Nuclear Structure
  2. Radioactive Decay
  3. The Radioactive Decay Law
  4. Units of Radiation Measurement
  5. Interaction of Radiation with Matter
  6. Attenuation of Gamma-Rays
  7. Gas-Filled Radiation Detectors
  8. Scintillation Detectors
  9. Nuclear Medicine Imaging Systems
  10. Computers in Nuclear Medicine
  11. Fourier Methods
  12. X-Ray CT in Nuclear Medicine
  13. PACS and Advanced Image Processing
  14. Three-Dimensional Visualization Techniques
  15. Patient Dosimetry
  16. Production of Radioisotopes
  17. Chapter Review
  18. Dynamic Studies in Nuclear Medicine
  19. Deconvolution Analysis
  20. Sonography & Nuclear Medicine
  21. MRI & Nuclear Medicine
  22. Dual-Energy Absorptiometry

The principal author of this text is grateful for the expert editorial assistance of Dirk Hünniger during his German translation of the text and his contribution to the section on the Operation of a 99m-Tc Generator.

Bibliography