Myocardial Confusion Essay

Myocardial perfusion in nuclear medicine is the process of producing images of the heart in which the functioning of the organ is evaluated. These Images indicate areas of reduced blood flow, in which signify scarred tissue (often caused by lack of oxygen), or ischemia (Strauss, 1998). The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body thus making it necessary to properly diagnose possible heart issue causes. Predominantly used techniques of imagining for the heart include the PET and SPECT scans. In 1998 radiotracers thallium – 201, 201TI, and Technetium – 99m, 99mTc, were used for SPECT myocardial perfusion images, as well rubidium – 82 chloride, 82Rb, was used for PET imaging (Strauss, 1998). However, in 2007 the radiopharmaceuticals used for nuclear medical imaging of the heart had widely become nitrogen – 13 ammonia, 13N, as well as the previously used 82Rb. …show more content…
Rubidium – 82 chloride, also called rubidium chloride, specifically applied to myocardial perfusion is used to image the heart with a PET scan. Rubidium chloride enters the organ cells through the sodium – potassium ATP transporters (Di Carli, 2007). This use of this rubidium radiotracer is due to its advantageous properties of not needing a cyclotron, a short half – life, and kinetic properties comparable to previously used 201TI. The formerly used 201TI required an on – site cyclotron, which was impractical. Meanwhile the 82Rb is formed from its parent radioactive nuclide 82Sr in a generator, eliminated the need for the cyclotron thus creating a more easily accessible radioactive nuclide. The “half – life of 76 s [seconds]” (Di Carli, 2007) rubidium – 82 chloride makes it an ideal radiopharmaceutical as the functional images can be acquired shortly after the injection. This is advantageous because it decreases the time required to diagnose the patient and allows for treatment to be chosen earlier. While the kinetic properties of 82Rb being similar to 201TI makes it an easy

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