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The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Medicine

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Nuclear medicine is a pharmaceutical that uses a small amount of radioactive material (radioisotopes) to diagnose, manage, treat and prevent diseases (i.e., cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, gastrointestinal, and other irregularities). This procedure can identify abnormal lesions within the body without the need for surgeries and determine whether or not certain organs are functioning normally. For example, nuclear medicine can determine the body’s level of enzyme, vitamin absorption, sites of seizures (epilepsy), access damages and analyze whether the body is responding to treatments or changes within the body. Unlike other diagnostic devices (e.g., computed tomography (CT) scanners, x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging …show more content…

Despite the low radiation exposure, there is still a slight chance of cancer development such as leukemia in some patients, if they are not careful. In radioactive iodine therapy, some patients are required to be hospitalized and isolated because radiation continues to emit from the patient’s body for a while after the therapy. Additionally, the patient may suffer from short-term side effects such as nausea and vomiting, neck tenderness and swelling, salivary gland problems. Large doses may also affect the reproductive systems; reducing sperm count or infertility in men, and irregular periods in women. While nuclear medicine can treat a certain area of the body, the radiation also causes collateral damage to surrounding tissues—though the risk is slight and the severity depends on the level of treatment. Precaution is advised because there is a possibility of the radiopharmaceutical passing into a pregnant patient’s breast-milk and radiation may be exposed to the child in the process of consumption. Additionally, the use of nuclear medicine have allow physicians to detect, treat, and/or prevent potentially fatal diseases, however it also requires a large amount of investment. Several medical institutions are unable to afford the machines needed to satisfy the procedures. Despite the possible disadvantages and consequences of nuclear medicine, it provides details on function and anatomic structure of the body, enabling physicians to detect diseases in the early stages in order to provide better prognosis—the cost of healthcare increases as the disease

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