Question:
Let’s discuss the basic aspects of each medical radiation science profession: Radiation Therapy, Nuclear Medicine Technology, and Medical Imaging.
Which are the similarities and which differences?
Answer:
Professions in Medical Radiation Science
Radiation science is a profession that falls under the umbrella of health care. It involves performing complex imaging diagnostic studies on patients, or planning and administering radiation treatments for patients with various cancers.
These are medical imaging, radiation therapy, and nuclear medicine technology.
Radiation therapists are specialists in the treatment of cancer and work in centers and hospitals that specialize in medical imaging.
Medical imaging includes X-rays (planar, CT), ultrasound (SPECT and PET), radionuclide(SPECT and PET), and magnetic resonance.
X-rays are normally made using ionizing radiation, provided that there is an external source.
Magnetic resonance uses magnetic fields and radiofrequency pulses to produce anatomical images.
Ultrasound imaging, which is a core fundamental, also uses frequency sound waves and echo pulse effects to create anatomical information.
Radioactive isotopes are radioactive substances that emit gamma radiation and other ionizing forms. Nuclear medicine involves the use of these radioactive elements.
Inject the radionuclide or inhale it, and then the gamma cameras pick up the gamma radiation.
This radioactivity is used to produce functional images.
Radiation therapy uses high-frequency waves, or energy particles, such as the X, electron beam, protons, or gamma rays, to kill or destroy cancer cells (Xu & Tsui 2014).
Radiation therapy, medical imaging, and nuclear medicine technology all share similarities. For example, they are all non-invasive methods or methods that allow you to examine the inside of your body without having it open surgically.
To treat various conditions and diseases in the body, they prefer to use X-ray radiography and ultrasonography as well as magnetic resonance imaging and radionuclides (SPECT, PET, and Choti, 2014).
These medical science radiation professions have major differences in that image quality produced by different methods can vary in terms resolution and contrast.
There is another difference between medical imaging, radiation therapy, and nuclear radiation. They might have different effects on the body because of heating effects or ionization radiation.
Medical imaging is used to obtain diagnostic images. The nuclear medical technology is used for the interpretation of these photos. Radiotherapy is then used to treat cancer patients.
These medical radiation science professions aim to improve the health of patients through non-surgical treatments.
They also contribute to improving the quality of lives around the world.
Refer to
A. Roobottom and G. Mitchell, Radiation-Reduction Strategies for Cardiac Computed Tomographic Angiography”, Clinical Radiology vol.
Xu and B.M.W.
Tsui, Quantifying the Importance in Statistical Xray CT Image Reconstruction, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging vol.
Rivaz, E. M. Boctor and M. A. Choti, Ultrasound Elastography Using Multiple Images”, Medical Image Analysis vol.
K. Mariappan and K. J. Glaser with R. L. Ehman. “Magnetic Resonance Elastography : A Review”, Clinical Anatomy. vol.