Are gamma rays used in medicine?

Medical radiation. X-rays, gamma rays, and other forms of ionizing radiation are used to diagnose and treat some medical conditions. This can be in the form of radiation that penetrates from outside the body, or radioactive particles that are swallowed or inserted into the body.24-Feb-2015

What medical devices use gamma rays?

Gamma rays are very penetrating and are used for the sterilisation of about one-third of medical devices, especially for disposable medical equipment, such as syringes, needles, cannulas and intravenous sets.

What is a gamma ray in medicine?

Gamma rays are high energy electromagnetic waves which are only stopped by thick lead. This means they can easily pass through medical equipment, such as syringes. As gamma rays pass through the packaging and syringe, they will kill viruses and bacteria which contaminate the syringe.

Why are gamma rays suitable for medical imaging?

Electromagnetic waves in medicine Gamma rays are produced by changes in the nucleus of an atom. They are a form of nuclear radiation. High energy waves such as X-rays and gamma rays are transmitted through body tissues with very little absorption. This makes them ideal for internal imaging.

Does gamma radiation sterilize humans?

Gamma sterilization is used to sterilize human tissue grafts: connective tissue allograft, such as bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, dura mater, skin, heart valves and corneas, which are widely used for reconstructive surgery in many clinical disciplines, including orthopedics, traumatology, neurosurgery, cardiac …

How are gamma rays used in medical imaging?

Imaging with gamma rays is creating medical diagnostic images using gamma rays emitted by tiny amounts of radionuclides administered to patients, photons of penetrating electromagnetic radiation emitted from an atomic nucleus.

What types of waves are used in medicine?

Electromagnetic fields (EMF) of lower frequencies up to 200 MHz are commonly used in medicine for diagnosis and therapy; included are exposures to radiofrequency (RF) fields above 100 kHz (0.1 MHz).

How is radiation used in medicine?

Nuclear medicine procedures help detect and treat diseases by using a small amount of radioactive material, called a radiopharmaceutical. Some radiopharmaceuticals are used with imaging equipment to detect diseases. Radiopharmaceuticals can also be placed inside the body near a cancerous tumor to shrink or destroy it.

How do gamma rays being used in medical treatment?

However, gamma rays can also be used to treat cancer. Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, uses high-energy gamma rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is a special form of radiotherapy. It uses beams of gamma rays to treat injured brain tissue by damaging the DNA of dangerous cells.