Physics › Section V · Nuclear physics and its applications › Topic V.5
Medical imaging and biological effects of radiation
The same ionising radiation that can damage living cells also lets doctors watch organs at work and destroy tumours. This topic explains the physics of nuclear imaging, how radiation doses are measured, and why the dose matters; it is for education, not medical advice.
In this topic
- Watching the body work
- Technetium-99m and the gamma camera
- SPECT and PET
- Worked example: PET photons and a fading tracer
- How radiation damages cells
- Measuring dose: gray, RBE and sievert
- Worked example: a radiotherapy session
- Doses in perspective
- Therapy and food irradiation
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
This topic is part of Wuanberri Pro. Checking your access…