Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine uses radioactive material to diagnose or treat diseases.
   •   Properly used, the benefits of diagnostic nuclear medicine outweigh the risks.

About Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine procedures can help detect and treat disease
by using a small amount of radioactive material, called a
radiopharmaceutical. Some radiopharmaceuticals are used with
imaging equipment to detect diseases. Others are placed in or
near a cancerous tumor to shrink or kill it.

A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an example of
diagnostic nuclear medicine. A PET scan uses a radioactive
substance as a tracer that is injected into the blood stream.
Blood carries the tracer to a specific organ in the body. Doctors
use a special camera to watch how the tracer moves. The
camera sends information to a computer, which takes pictures
as the tracer moves thorough the organ. Doctors use the images
to detect problems with the organ or identify how the organ is
working.
Radiopharmaceuticals are also used to treat disease by shrinking tumors
and killing cancerous cells. For example, during a brachytherapy
procedure, doctors  surgically place small radioactive "seeds" near or
inside a cancerous  tumor. The radiation from the seeds helps destroy the
nearby cancer cells.

Different radioactive elements are absorbed differently by different
organs.  For example,  iodine is absorbed by the thyroid gland, so iodine-
131 is used to diagnose and treat thyroid cancer. The doctors choose the
best radiopharmaceutical for the part of the body they need to diagnose
or treat.
Most nuclear medicine procedures involve small amounts of radioactive
materials.  As a result, patients usually receive only small doses of
radiation. However, some tests, such as heart scans, result in much
higher doses. Properly used, the benefits of diagnostic nuclear medicine
outweigh the risks.
Photo of a gamma camera used with
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
       In nuclear medicine, radioactive
       tracers help doctors assess the
              body at work.
  United States Environmental Protection Agency | Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (6608T) | EPA 402-F-14-031 | August 2014 | p. 1

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Rules and Guidance

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC)

Under the Atomic Energy Act, NRC regulates the use of radioactive material, including radiopharmaceuticals.
NRC requires all nuclear medicine facilities to be licensed. To get the license, facilities must prove they have a
radiation safety program to protect both the patients and the staff. In addition, the staff must meet certain
standards of training and experience before they are allowed to treat patients with radioactive material.

THE STATES
Each state has one or more radiation program to ensure safe use of radioactive materials. NRC has
agreements with more than half the states (Agreement States) that give them the authority to regulate the use
of radiopharmaceuticals. Agreement states inspect facilities to make sure the staff is trained properly. They
also make sure equipment is operating safely.
U.S. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS), U.S.  FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION  (FDA)

FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) regulates the production of prescription drugs,
including radiopharmaceuticals. FDA does not regulate how the radiopharmaceuticals are used in medical
facilities.

What you can do

When undergoing a nuclear medicine procedure, there are a few things that patients can do to protect
themselves:

    •   Let the doctor about other nuclear medicine tests or treatments.

    •   Let the doctor know if the patient is pregnant or breastfeeding.

    •   Discuss the risks associated with using nuclear medicine with the doctor or the technician before the
       procedure.

    •   Follow all instructions given by the doctor or the radiation  safety officer at the facility.

After certain  procedures, patients may need to take extra precautions for a few days as the
radiopharmaceutical passes through their bodies. Be  sure to talk with the doctor about post-treatment
guidelines.

Where to  learn  more

You can learn more about nuclear medicine by visiting the resources available on the following webpage:
http://www.epa.gov/radtown/nuclear-medicine.htmltflearn-more.
  United States Environmental Protection Agency | Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (6608T) |  EPA 402-F-14-031 | August 2014 | p. 2

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