MedChem Final CBT Test Review - Nuclear Medicine and Buffers

Flashcards covering key terms from nuclear medicine, specific radioisotopes for imaging and therapy, and the principles of buffer solutions from the MedChem lecture notes.

Gamma radiation

The type of radiation most commonly used in cancer treatment.

Half-life

A property of a radioactive isotope that determines how long it remains active in the body.

SPECT

An acronym for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography used in nuclear medicine.

Technetium-99m

The most commonly used isotope in diagnostic nuclear medicine; it is frequently used in bone scans.

Radiopharmaceuticals

Drugs containing radioactive isotopes that are introduced into the body by injection, inhalation, or ingestion.

Thallium-201

A specific radiopharmaceutical used to measure cardiac blood flow.

Xenon-133

A radioisotope used in clinical settings to study lung ventilation.

Carrier molecule

The component of a radiopharmaceutical that determines which target organ the radiation is delivered to.

Fluorine-18

A radioisotope specifically used in PET scans to create medical images.

Nuclear medicine

A medical field primarily involving the use of radioactive isotopes for non-invasive imaging and treatment.

Scintigraphy

A diagnostic technique that uses radioactive tracers to create images of internal organs.

Cobalt-60

A radioisotope used in the medical field for cancer treatment.

Radiation therapy

A treatment modality that primarily targets and destroys cancerous cells.

Brachytherapy

A medical procedure that involves implanting radioactive sources directly near a tumor.

Dosimeter

A specialized device used to monitor and measure radiation exposure in medical workers.

Buffers

Solutions that maintain the $pH$ value without changing when a small amount of acid or base is added.

Buffer solutions (composition)

Solutions that may consist of a weak acid and its salt formed with a strong base.

Buffer action mechanism

The process where, upon the addition of a small amount of strong acid or base, a weaker electrolyte is formed from the initial electrolyte.