Physiological Measurements with Radionuclides in Clinical Practice

This book complements the many texts on nuclear medicine imaging, and offers a unified approach to the use of radionuclides for quantifying physiological processes. The first few chapters are concerned with general principles, first presenting a review of the underlying mathematical concepts, then dealing in turn with transit time and clearance measurements, blood flow, pharmacokinetics, the technology of scintillation detectors and problems of data processing. Following chapters are concerned with accounts of how these principles can be applied to the various organ systems of the body, dealing in turn with the peripheral circulation, the heart, the lung, the gastro-intestinal system, blood and the spleen, the genito-urinary system and the brain. The concluding chapter deals with body fluids, electrolytes and bone. The authors, radiologist and clinical scientist respectively, and both from Hammersmith Hospital, London, have endeavoured to maintain consistency of terminology and approach throughout, particularly where symbols and format of equations are concerned. Certain symbols will be encountered which are not those conventionally associated with the variable in question, but this been done to aid understanding and to create a unified framework for the measurements discussed. While the book will be of interest to clinical practitioners, it will be of greater interest to scientist and researchers who have not previously had access to as thorough and complete an account of quantitative methods as is contained in this book.