Name: Leting Mercy Chelagat

Id: 655407
Course code: NSC 2215-A
Task: Term paper
Instructor: Jayanti Patel
Semester: Fall 2018
Physics for medicine and better life

Physics for medicine

Introduction

Physics is the study of matter, energy, and the interaction between them, but what that really

means is that physics is about asking fundamental questions and trying to answer them by

observing and experimenting. It is related to medicine in various ways and aspects.

The term medical physics is used to show how principle of physics are used in medicine. These

include the theories associated with amplitudes, fluid pressure, frequencies and waves.

Application can be found in diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine and radiology oncology.

Physics can be found in a variety of other areas of medicine too. For example, many types of

ventilators wouldn't be possible without an understanding of fluid pressure and pulse frequency

so that the ventilation rate and amount of pressure applied is appropriate. In fact, you could argue

that any advanced or electronic technology used in medicine wouldn't exist without the

knowledge of the universe gained through physics.

The three branches of medical physics include:

1. Diagnostic Radiology

Diagnostic radiology is essentially a form of medical imaging. All the methods of medical

imaging we use, including x-rays, mammography, computed tomography, ultrasound and

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), among other technologies, require the presence of an on-site

or consulting physicist. These technologies are complex and can only be repaired by those who

understand them.

MRI scanners use the principles of magnetism to take high quality images of the inside of the

human body, especially the brain. They basically work by monitoring the nuclear spin and

distribution of hydrogen molecules. Since humans are about 70% water, we have plenty of

hydrogen molecules to observe.

X-rays are a way of taking images of the skeletal structure of the body.

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves that humans can tolerate, bouncing them off the

inside of the body to create images of soft tissues. These are most notably used to create images

of babies inside the womb.

2. Nuclear medicine

According to (Mandal, 2018)

Nuclear medicine is the branch of medicine that involves the administration of

radioactive substances in order to diagnose and treat disease. The scans performed in

nuclear medicine are carried out by a radiographer. This speciality of nuclear

medicine is sometimes referred to as endoradiology because the radiation emitted

 from inside the body is detected rather than being applied externally, as with an X-

ray procedure, for example.

For nuclear medicine scans, radionuclides are combined with other chemical

compounds to form the radiopharmaceuticals that are widely used in this field. When

administered to the patient, these radiopharmaceuticals target specific organs or

cellular receptors and bind to them selectively. External detectors are used to capture

the radiation emitted from the radiopharmaceutical as it moves through the body and

this is used to generate an image. Diagnosis is based on the way the body is known

to handle substances in the health state and disease state.

The radionuclide used is usually bound to a specific complex (tracer) that is known to act in a

particular way in the body. When disease is present, the tracer may be distributed or processed in

a different way to when no disease is present. Increased physiological function that may occur as

a result of disease or injury usually results in an increased concentration of the tracer, which can

often be detected as a “hot spot.” Sometimes, the disease process leads to exclusion of the tracer

and a “cold spot” is detected instead. A large variety of tracer complexes are used in nuclear

medicine to visualize and treat the different organs, tissues and physiological systems in the

body.

The main difference between nuclear medicine diagnostic tests and other imaging modalities is

that nuclear imaging techniques show the physiological function of the tissue or organ being

investigated, while traditional imaging systems such as computed tomography (CT scan) and

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scans) show only the anatomy or structure.

Nuclear medicine imaging techniques are also organ- or tissue-specific. While a CT or MRI scan

can be used to visualize the whole of the chest cavity or abdominal cavity, for example, nuclear
imaging techniques are used to view specific organs such as the lungs, heart or brain. Nuclear

medicine studies can also be whole-body based, if the agent used targets specific cellular

receptors or functions. Examples of these techniques include the whole-body PET scan or

PET/CT scan, the meta iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scan, the octreotide scans, the indium

white blood cell scan, and the gallium scan.

3. Radiology oncology

Radiation Oncology encompasses all aspects of research that impacts on the treatment of cancer

using radiation. It publishes findings in molecular and cellular radiation biology, radiation

physics, radiation technology, and clinical oncology.

The field of radiation oncology covers the integration of radiation therapy into multimodal

treatment approaches. Radiation Oncology provides an open access forum for researchers and

clinicians involved in the management and treatment of cancer patients, bringing together the

latest research and advances in the field. Advances in treatment technology, as well as improved

understanding of the underlying biological resistance mechanisms, will further strengthen the

role of radiation oncology.

How physics has made life better

a) Medicine

Blood pressure is one of the most basic measures of good health and when it’s high, it serves as a

warning for some pretty serious medical problems. But did you realize that physics is what made
that test possible? There’s even a distinct branch of the science that deals specifically with

medicine, known as medical physics.

Broken bones are found with x-rays, which are also a product of physics. If you’re ever seen or

gotten an ultrasound that shows a developing child in the womb, you were actually watching

physics in action. Ultrasounds are crucial for getting an idea of a newborn baby’s health and

diagnosing any complications before birth.

One of physics’s other creations, the defibrillator, can literally be the difference between life and

death for a patient suffering from cardiac arrest. The science is very important in anything

radiation related, including radiation therapy, one of the more viable cancer treatments available.

And physics also deals heavily with lasers, which includes things like laser eye surgery. And

these are just a handful of the tons of incredibly important developments physics has contributed

to medicine.

b) Energy

Physics is absolutely huge when it comes to any and everything that we use for energy. Oil for

fuel is extracted and processed largely through physics-based ideas. It’s key for mining coal and

using it power massive factories.

It’s also essential in the research and implementation of cleaner and more environmentally

friendly energy sources. Everything from nuclear power plants to solar powered cars require

physics. Even windmills.

Not to mention the electricity in homes that is considered a basic necessity in our current day and

age. Physics is largely responsible for the systems that allow it to be harnessed, controlled, and

used to power everything from your laptop to the little light in your refrigerator.

c) Communication

From electromagnetism to quantum optics, physics is simply indispensable to nearly every

aspect of the way we currently communicate. Without it, we’d probably still be stuck with horse

messengers delivering our mail and news.

d) Transporting People and Goods

It’s our understanding of the science that allows us to build planes that can fly in the first place.

This is something that people figured was impossible until not so long ago in history because of

the many factors and forces that come into play when trying to master flight. Today, we

sometimes forget what an amazing accomplishment it is that there are thousands of huge hunks

of metal carrying people through the sky and around the globe every day.

Not only does it make all our different vehicles possible, we’re continually improving how fast,

efficient, and safe they are. Engineers in all fields rely largely upon physics when creating the

contours of a sports car or designing a bullet train. And don’t even get us started on the

complicated but fascinating field of space travel.

e) Developing Consumer Electronics

Many of the main components of desktops and laptops needed an understanding of physics to be

created. This includes the screen, the processor, and the hard drive or solid state drive – the

things that make a computer a computer, basically. If you find yourself a little confused about
what these parts actually do in the first place, this course on building your own computer will

help fill you in on what they are and how they work.

f) Constructing Buildings

It helps us understand which materials are most affected by heat, light, and water. By studying

how vibrations affect different structures, we’re able to design buildings that can withstand

natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes. Imagine a city full of skyscrapers collapsing

from a minor earthquake – then take a second to thank physics that they don’t.

References

Mandal, A. (2018). News medical life sciences. (B. Sally Robertson, Ed.) What is nuclear
medicine?

Tomasovic, N. (May 22, 2014). Udemy. Importance of Physics: Fundamental Science in Our
Everyday Lives

Study mode. (n.d.). Science has made life more comfortable.