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Physics of Nuclear Oncology

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Nuclear Oncology

  • 2003 Accesses

Abstract

The study of the basic physics used in nuclear oncology involves understanding the way energy associated with radioactive emissions can be best utilized to image, diagnose, stage, treat, and monitor the patient with cancer. In this chapter we will cover the physics involved in these processes.

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Abbreviations

AAPM:

American Association of Physicists in Medicine

Bq:

Becquerel unit

Bremsstrahlung:

Braking radiation

DOTA:

1,4,7,10-Tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid

DOTATE:

DOTA-octreotate

e:

Electron

E:

Energy

EC:

Electron capture

eV:

Electron volt

Gy:

Gray unit (ionizing radiation dose in the International System of Units, corresponding to the absorption of one joule of radiation energy per kilogram of matter)

h:

Planck’s constant

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

IC:

Internal conversion

ICRP:

International Commission on Radiological Protection

ICRU:

International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements

IT:

Isomeric transition

J:

Joule

keV:

Kilo-electron volt (103 eV)

LET:

Linear energy transfer

m:

Metastable

MeV:

Mega-electron volt (106 eV)

MIRD:

Medical Internal Radiation Dose Committee

n:

Neutron

p:

Proton

PET:

Positron emission tomography

PSMA:

Prostate-specific membrane antigen

SI:

International System of Units

α :

Alpha particle

β :

Beta particle

γ :

Gamma radiation

λ :

Decay constant

λ :

Wavelength of a radiation

ν :

Neutrino

σ :

Atomic cross section

υ :

Frequency of a radiation

References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, 2006, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

    Dale L. Bailey

  2. Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    John L. Humm

Authors
  1. Dale L. Bailey
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  2. John L. Humm
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Dale L. Bailey or John L. Humm .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Imaging and Therapy Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA

    H. William Strauss

  2. University of Pisa, Regional Center of Nuclear Medicine, Pisa, Italy

    Giuliano Mariani

  3. University of Pisa, Regional Center of Nuclear Medicine, Pisa, Italy

    Duccio Volterrani

  4. Molecular Imaging and Therapy Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA

    Steven M. Larson

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© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Bailey, D.L., Humm, J.L. (2017). Physics of Nuclear Oncology. In: Strauss, H., Mariani, G., Volterrani, D., Larson, S. (eds) Nuclear Oncology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26236-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26236-9_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-26234-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-26236-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

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