Gammakameraer

Gammakameraer, also known as gamma cameras or Anger cameras, are nuclear medicine imaging devices. They are used to obtain images of the distribution of radiopharmaceuticals within a patient's body. This allows for the visualization and assessment of organ function and blood flow, as well as the detection of certain diseases.

The principle behind a gammakamera is the detection of gamma rays emitted by a radioactive tracer that has been administered to the patient. The tracer is typically injected intravenously and is designed to accumulate in specific organs or tissues. As the tracer decays, it emits gamma rays, which are then detected by the camera.

A gammakamera consists of a large, sensitive gamma-ray detector, usually a crystal of sodium iodide activated with thallium. When a gamma ray strikes the crystal, it produces a flash of light, called a scintillation. These scintillations are then detected by an array of photomultiplier tubes positioned behind the crystal. The photomultiplier tubes convert the light flashes into electrical signals, and the position and intensity of these signals are used to reconstruct an image of the distribution of the radiopharmaceutical.

Gammakameraer are widely used in various medical applications, including cardiology for assessing heart function, oncology for detecting and staging cancer, and neurology for evaluating brain disorders. They are also employed in studies of the thyroid, kidneys, and skeletal system. The images produced provide functional information rather than purely anatomical detail, complementing other imaging modalities like X-rays or CT scans.