Week 3 Objectives 1103 (NM Instrumentation)

QC performed on GM and ISM and how often

Battery functionality: daily

Source check: daily

Calibration: annually

QC performed on DC and how often

Constancy: daily - record radionuclide activity, assess reliability

Linearity: quarterly - ability to measure range of high and low doses

Accuracy: annually - measure validity of calibrator reading

Geometry: only after installation or repair

2 main categories of radiation detectors

Gas filled and scintillation

3 types of gas filled detectors

Dose calibrator, Geiger Mueller, ionization survey meter

Name 4 types of scintillation detectors and how many PMTs they have

Well counter: 1 PMT; highly sensitive for blood or urine samples or wipe surveys

Uptake probe: 1 PMT and NaI crystal; measures radioactivity of capsule before administration

Gamma camera: multiple PMT, for imaging

Surgical probe: no PMT and e- measured directly; used to locate lymph nodes, parathyroid, or tumors made radioactive

What does scintillation mean

Producing or giving off light

Which type of detector systems operate off simple principles

Gas filled

Name the different imaging instruments in NM

Gamma camera

PET

Which detectors operate on complex principles

Scintillation

List and identify components of a gamma camera

Collimator: only allows “good information” gamma rays to pass through

Scintillator: NaI imaging crystal takes gamma rays and converts to visible light

Computer: takes light and turns it into electrical signals that form an image

Display: show the image