Nuclear medicine explained in 2 minutes

Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that uses radioactive substances, called radiopharmaceuticals, to diagnose and treat various diseases. These substances are introduced into the patient's body by swallowing, injection, or inhalation and are attracted to specific organs, bones, or tissues.

As the radioactive substance travels through the body, it emits radiation, which is then detected by a camera. Unlike X-rays, nuclear medicine creates images from radiation emitted from within the body, essentially being 'radiology done inside out'.

Nuclear medicine is unique because it images organ function rather than just anatomy. A poorly functioning organ emits a different signal than a healthy one, allowing for monitoring of cancer and indicating the activity of organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys, and bones.

While primarily used for diagnosis, nuclear medicine can also treat diseases, such as brain tumors or to provide pain relief for certain types of bone cancers.

Despite the term 'radioactive', nuclear medicine procedures are among the safest imaging exams, with radiation exposure comparable to diagnostic X-rays and CT procedures. These procedures can pinpoint molecular activity to identify diseases in their earliest stages, often before other tests reveal abnormalities.