Medication and Physics

This was made for a presentation in introductory physics.
Most people are misunderstanding that nuclear physics is harmful, such as
nuclear bombs, redioactive contamination, etc. However, nuclear physics,
electromagnetism, and optics are useful for medication.

The mechanism of life can be associated with electromagnetism and nuclear physics. Nuclear physics is referred to as the mechanics inside a nucleus, which contains protons and neutrons. Between protons and neutrons, there are different properties other than electromagnrtism. The characteristic force is called nuclear force.

There is a relationship between medication and nuclear physics. If a medical treatment uses one of the above properties, it is called Nuclear Medicine.

Other than nuclear physics, electromagnetism, electromagnetic inductions, electromagnetic waves are used in medication.

MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. This has good capability of obtaining the images for soft tissues. It is also safer than others, such as x-rays. The mechanism is following: In our body there are a lot of hydrogen atoms containing a proton. The proton has a magnetic property. Therefore, using an external magnetic field, it will be changed and detected.

PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography. This has a good capability of detecting the specific diseases and diagnosing the specific organs.

For the procedure, first ingest radionuclides in your body. Then, go into the detector. The radioniclides spontaneously emit gamma ray and the detector catches them.

An X-ray is one of electromagnetic waves. The property is that the ray is absorbed by the dense structure of bone much more than soft tissue. It is safe, but still radioactive.

Fiberscope uses the mechanism of the total internal reflection.

CT stands for computed tomography. It usually uses X-rays, but originally from the name of a technology.

The concentrated lots of moving protons (proton beam) can destroy cancer cells. To make proton beams, we use electric potential and Lorents force (magnetic force). The equipment is called cyclotron.

The advantages are following:

The beam does not destroy other healthy cells.

The proton beam can also treat following diseases.