Pediatric aspects of nuclear medicine

During the last few years, the number, variety, and complexity of nuclear medical examinations that can be performed in children have increased impressively, due partly to recent accomplishments in radiopharmaceutical development and the availability of gamma scintillation cameras and computer systems for acquisition, storage, and analysis of data. The reduction in radiation exposure with the new radiopharmaceuticals has helped to expand the scope of nuclear medical examinations in children to include not only the study or evaluation of suspected malignant disease but also the evaluation of nonmalignant disease and organ function in a number of body systems. Specific applications of nuclear medical techniques in children are discussed, with relation to the brain and cerebrospinal fluid, thyroid, lungs, heart and great vessels, liver and spleen, kidneys and bladder, and bone.