Thursday, December 14, 2023

Theory of equilibrium mnemonic for nuclear medicine boards

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QVdlXnw9mXc



Atomic number, mass number mnemonic for chemistry

Dobutamine dosing for cardiac stress test mnemonic

Critical organ for radionuclides used in cardiology mnemonic for nuclear Cardiology boards


For RBCs labelled with Tc 99m critical organ is the spleen.

Radioisotopes in nuclear cardiology produced by cyclotron

NRC dose limit for members of the public mnemonic

See video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/T3VLOStIMQc?si=txskgKX4-AtdhiS0


The total effective dose equivalent to individual members of the public from the licensed operation does not exceed 0.1 rem (1 mSv) in a year, exclusive of the dose contributions from background radiation, from any administration the individual has received, from exposure to individuals administered radioactive material and released under § 35.75, from voluntary participation in medical research programs, and from the licensee's disposal of radioactive material into sanitary sewerage in accordance with § 20.2003

Friday, December 8, 2023

Linear no-threshold model in radiation safety

The most conservative theory of radiation is the "linear no-threshold" (LNT) model. According to this model, there is no safe threshold for exposure to ionizing radiation, and any amount of radiation, no matter how small, has the potential to cause harm. The LNT model assumes a linear relationship between radiation dose and the risk of adverse health effects, extending this linear relationship down to zero dose.

In other words, the LNT model suggests that the risk of radiation-induced health effects, such as cancer, increases linearly with increasing radiation dose, and there is no level of radiation exposure considered completely without risk.

Deterministic vs Stochastic effects

Deterministic effects (or tissue reactions) of ionizing radiation are related directly to the absorbed radiation dose and the severity of the effect increases as the dose increases. 

Example: Cataracts

Mnemonic: DDD Deterministic severity Determined by Dose

Stochastic effects of ionizing radiation are chance events, with the probability of the effect increasing with dose, but the severity of the effect is independent of the dose received. Stochastic effects are assumed to have no threshold. 

Example: Cancer

Mnemonic:
Stochastic Severity No
Probability So

Stannous ions in equilibrium radionuclide angiocardiography

A small amount of stannous chloride (SnCl2) is added to a vial containing a radiopharmaceutical precursor, such as pertechnetate (TcO4^-).

The stannous ions act as a reducing agent, converting TcO4^- to a reduced form of technetium (Tc-99m).

The radiotracer, now in the form of Tc-99m, can be easily incorporated into red blood cells or other carriers.