Nuclear medicine works by using radionuclides, which are unstable atoms that emit radiation. These atoms are used to diagnose and treat disease. A nuclear medicine technologist administers these atoms, which are compounded and purified to form radiopharmaceuticals, to patients.  Then a nuclear medicine technologist watches how the tissues react to the radiopharmaceuticals in order to see abnormal areas that represent disease.  Then nuclear medicine technologists use cameras thatmap the radiopharmaceuticals in the patient’s body and creates diagnostic images. A nuclear medicine technologist explains the procedure to patients, prepare the radiation dosage,administer the dosage, and then position patients in order to scan them to see the map of the radiation in the patient’s body.

A nuclear medicine technologist must be in good physical condition, because they will be on their feet most of the day and may have to lift or turn patients. Usually nuclear medicine technologists work 40 hour weeks, sometimes including weekend and evening shifts. Although, there are many part time jobs available too.

Because there has been an ongoing increase in the number of middle aged and elderly people, nuclear medicine technologists will enjoy fast job growth, although because the field is so specialized there may not be a great number of job openings. The field of nuclear medicine technology may expand, due to technological advancement. There will probably be new nuclear medicine treatments discovered as well.

To become a nuclear medicine technologist it is necessary to complete a program which may be as short as one year or as long as four, depending on whether to student wishes to obtain a certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree is often necessary for advancement into management positions.

Learn about hiring a nuclear medicine technologist, or find a job as a nuclear medicine technolgogist.

Source:

1. (December 18, 2007) Nuclear Medicine Technologists. U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos104.htm

The study was done by taking drug addicts and non addicted subjects and giving them Ritalin, and “upper” drug. About half of the people who were not drug addicts said they found taking Ritalin to be enjoyable. In contrast, 90% of the drug addicts found it pleasurable. These people were given PET scans while they were on Ritalin. It was found that those who enjoyed the Ritalin had less dopamine receptor sites, and those who did not like the Ritalin had more receptor sites. The researchers believe this means that people who have lower levels of dopamine receptors are more prone to addiction, because the lack of dopamine receptors makes it an enjoyable experience.

The number of dopamine receptors can be influenced by the environment. This is because the environment can have neurobiological effects on the brain. People who are given plenty of affection while growing up have more dopamine receptors than people who are neglected growing up. It has also been shown that there is a correlation between poverty and low levels of dopamine receptors.

Learn about hiring a nuclear medicine technologist.

Source:

1. Kaiser, C.P. (2004, November) Imaging Untangles Mystery of Drug-Addicted Brain. Diagnostic Imaging, 19

CT technologists have a new tool they can use to reduce radiation exposure to their patients and to themselves. Positioning children and infants has always been difficult for CT technologists. The children are scared and confused and do not understand why they must stay still. Even if a CT technologist managed to position a child, the child would often move after the CT technologist left the room to take the image.  This meant that a CT technologist would need to hold the child still while the image was being taken, and in the process receive a totally unnecessary dose of radiation.

Now there is a new option, and it is called the universal octopaque. It is basically a padded board that a CT technologist can gently strap a child to. The child is first wrapped with a blanket for comfort, and then strapped down. The child’s head is restrained too, with big pads on each side of the head.  Using this device, the child can be safely restrained so that a good image may be taken on the first try, instead of having to repeat the image and increase the radiation dose to the child. Also, this allows the CT technologist to be safely away from the imaging process.

The universal octopaque also allows for a CT technologist to take images from angles that would have been difficult to achieve while just holding a child.

This device is useful in several other modalities as well, allowing MRI technologists, nuclear medicine technologists, and radiation therapists to remain safe while performing pediatric imaging. 

Learn about hiring a CT technologist.

Source:

1. Femia, John (2006, October 6) Keeping Kids Still, and RTs Safe from Radiation. Advance for Imaging and Radiation Thereapy Professionals, 6

Now is an interesting time to be an MRI technologist or a nuclear medicine technologist because of the current studies being done in those fields. MRI imaging and nuclear medicine are being researched in hopes of using them to learn more about how the brain works and why things go wrong. The goal is to find the physical or neurological things that correlate with mental problems and can be measured by imaging done by a nuclear medicine technologist or an MRI technologist.

A nuclear medicine technologist is familiar with brain imaging such as PET and SPECT, which is already being used to see the areas of the brain where epileptic seizures start, and to look at the brain for indications that an epileptic seizure might occur, such as brain trauma or dementia. Another use a nuclear medicine technologist might see of SPECT imaging is to wait for a patient to seize, then a nuclear medicine technologist will quickly inject the radioisotope. Next, the nuclear medicine technologist will study the SPECT image to see where the seizure began. With this information, a surgical intervention could be done.  There are even some nuclear technologists who are moving into private outpatient clinics where they will use SPECT imaging to help diagnosis neurobehavioral problems. 

Some studies are done by looking at normal brains to study how humans learn. Researchers want to see if there are any structural, biochemical, or neuro-connections that indicate higher intelligence, and a nuclear medicine technologist might get to help look for these. Similar studies are being done looking at developmental delays and language problems.

One limitation of imaging that nuclear medicine technologists will see in detecting and studying neurological problems is the subject’s ability to remain still enough for a nuclear medicine technologist to take an image. A nuclear medicine technologist often has trouble imaging young kids. While children can be sedated to be imaged by a nuclear medicine technologist in necessary situations, this is not feasible for safety and ethical reasons in studies.

Learn about hiring a nuclear medicine technologist or a MRI technologist.

1. Ward, Joyce, CNMT, RT(N) (2006, August 7) Probing the Mind. Advance for Imaging and Radiation Thereapy Professionals, 13-15