What is the primary function of a gamma camera in nuclear medicine?

What is the primary function of a gamma camera in nuclear medicine?

• A. To produce thermal images of tissues
• B. To detect gamma rays emitted from radiopharmaceuticals
• C. To measure blood glucose levels
• D. To analyze chemical composition of organs

Answer: (B)

The primary function of a gamma camera in nuclear medicine is to detect gamma rays emitted from radiopharmaceuticals. When a patient is injected with a radiopharmaceutical that emits gamma radiation, the gamma camera captures the emitted gamma rays as they travel through the body. These rays come from the radiopharmaceuticals that have localized in specific organs or tissues, often due to their biological behavior and the underlying pathological conditions. The camera consists of a collimator, a scintillation crystal, photomultiplier tubes, and a computer system that processes the signals. The scintillation crystal converts the gamma rays into visible light, which is then detected and converted into an electronic signal by the photomultiplier tubes. The computer processes these signals to create images that visualize the distribution of the radiopharmaceutical within the body. This imaging capability is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring various medical conditions, including cancer, heart diseases, and bone disorders, providing valuable information about the function and structure of different organs. The technology allows for non-invasive assessment of physiological processes, making it an essential tool in the field of nuclear medicine.

The primary function of a gamma camera in nuclear medicine is to detect gamma rays emitted from radiopharmaceuticals. When a patient is injected with a radiopharmaceutical that emits gamma radiation, the gamma camera captures the emitted gamma rays as they travel through the body. These rays come from the radiopharmaceuticals that have localized in specific organs or tissues, often due to their biological behavior and the underlying pathological conditions.

The camera consists of a collimator, a scintillation crystal, photomultiplier tubes, and a computer system that processes the signals. The scintillation crystal converts the gamma rays into visible light, which is then detected and converted into an electronic signal by the photomultiplier tubes. The computer processes these signals to create images that visualize the distribution of the radiopharmaceutical within the body.

This imaging capability is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring various medical conditions, including cancer, heart diseases, and bone disorders, providing valuable information about the function and structure of different organs. The technology allows for non-invasive assessment of physiological processes, making it an essential tool in the field of nuclear medicine.