Radioscintiscopy

Radioscintiscopy is a method for studying internal organs and tissues using radioactive isotopes. The essence of the method is the introduction of radioactive substances into the body and recording the radiation using special devices - scintillation counters or gamma cameras.

Radioactive isotopes are concentrated in certain organs and tissues, which makes it possible to image them and assess their functional state. For example, after administration of radioactive iodine, a scintigram of the thyroid gland can be obtained, and with the help of labeled red blood cells, a scintigram of the spleen or liver can be obtained.

Radioscintiscopy was widely used in the 50-70s of the 20th century to diagnose diseases of various organs. With the advent of more modern methods, such as computed tomography and positron emission tomography, the role of radioscintiscopy has decreased significantly. However, this method is still used in some areas of medicine.

Radioscintigraphy is a method of radionuclide diagnostics, which is based on the introduction of a radiopharmaceutical (RP) into the patient’s body. A radiopharmaceutical administered into the body selectively accumulates in tissues and organs containing certain receptors or enzymes. The absorption of the drug by tissues is accompanied by their radioactive radiation, which is recorded by X-ray film or specialized equipment.

For radioscintigraphy, short-lived isotopes are used, the half-life of which does not exceed 1-2 hours. This allows one to obtain information about the distribution of the drug in the body in a few hours. Various isotopes of chemical elements, such as iodine, thallium, technetium, zirconium, gallium, etc., can be used as radiopharmaceuticals.

The radioscintigraphy method has found wide application in clinical practice due to its informativeness and safety. It allows you to identify various pathological conditions, such as tumors, inflammatory processes, dysfunctions of organs and systems.

Radioscintigraphy is used to diagnose diseases of the thyroid gland, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, brain and other organs. Using this method, you can evaluate the function of the thyroid gland, identify the presence of malignant tumors, metastases, cysts, etc. Also, radioscintigraphy can examine the function of the liver, kidneys and other organs, which makes it possible to identify diseases of these organs.

In addition, radioscintigraphy is used to monitor the effectiveness of cancer treatment, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy.

In general, radioscintigraphy is an important method for diagnosing and monitoring the treatment of various diseases. It allows you to obtain more accurate and detailed information about the condition of the body, which helps in choosing the most effective treatment method.