Deck 10: Physics of Nuclear Medicine

Question 1

The smallest particle of a chemical compound that retains all the chemical properties is a(n)

A) atom.
B) isotope.
C) element.
D) molecule.

Answer 1

molecule.

Question 2

Positron decay comes from the nucleus that is

A) proton-rich.
B) neutron-rich.
C) electron-rich.
D) neutrino-rich.

Answer 2

proton-rich.

Question 3

Gamma emission usually occurs

A) when there is an excess of protons in the excited nucleus.
B) when there is greater than 100 keV of excess energy in the excited nucleus.
C) whenever a K-shell electron is captured.
D) as particulate radiation to eliminate excess energy from the nucleus.

Answer 3

when there is greater than 100 keV of excess energy in the excited nucleus.

Question 4

If indium has an atomic number of 49 and an atomic mass of 112, how many neutrons are found in a stable element of indium-112?

A) 14
B) 49
C) 63
D) 112

Question 5

All of the following are true about bremsstrahlung radiation EXCEPT

A) it occurs when a beta particle is deflected and slowed in its path.
B) there is a low probability of occurrence when shielding beta particles with lead.
C) its probability increases when shielding betas with materials that have a high Z number.
D) it is the method used to produce x-rays in computed tomography (CT) scanners.

Question 6

The alpha particles consist of

A) one proton and two neutrons.
B) two protons and one neutron.
C) two protons and two neutrons.
D) two protons and three neutrons.

Question 7

When an unstable element undergoes a radioactive decay process resulting in a new element, the process is called

A) conversion.
B) transition.
C) isolation.
D) transmutation.

Question 8

Which of the following is not true of isotopes?

A) They have the same atomic number.
B) They have the same mass number.
C) They have the same number of neutrons.
D) They have the same chemical properties.

Question 9

After beta-minus decay of iodine, which has an atomic number of 131 and an atomic mass of 53, the resultant nuclide will have the following mass number (A) and atomic number (Z):

A) (A) = 131, (Z) = 52
B) (A) = 131, (Z) = 54
C) (A) = 130, (Z) = 53
D) (A) = 132, (Z) = 53

Question 10

When electron capture occurs,

A) an orbital electron is captured and combined with a proton to form a neutron.
B) a beta-minus electron is recaptured and added to a proton to form a neutron.
C) there is a transfer of energy from the nucleus to an orbital electron.
D) an orbital electron is captured and converted to a positron.

Question 11

Gamma rays differ from x-rays in that they have different

A) masses.
B) charges.
C) velocities.
D) origins.

Question 12

An atom

A) is the smallest quantity of an element that retains all the chemical properties of that element.
B) can be broken into smaller particles to combine with other elements.
C) is the smallest particle of a chemical compound that retains all the chemical properties of that element.
D) is a form of electromagnetic radiation.

Question 13

Atoms that have identical physical attributes but a different amount of nuclear energy are called

A) isotones.
B) isotopes.
C) isomers.
D) isobars.

Question 14

The transition of ^99mTc to ⁹⁹Tc is considered to be

A) isotonic.
B) isobaric.
C) isomeric.
D) isotopic.

Question 15

The minimum MeV photon energy required for pair production is

A) 0.511.
B) 1.022.
C) 5.110.
D) 10.22.

Question 16

Removal of an electron from a neutral atom is called

A) excitation.
B) ionization.
C) pairing.
D) bonding.

Question 17

Assuming the biological half-life of ^99mTc-MAA is 3 hours, what would be the effective half-life?

A) 0.3 hour
B) 0.5 hour
C) 2 hours
D) 3 hours

Question 18

When using the standard notation in the physical sciences for representing elements with a one- or two-letter chemical name symbol, the letter Z represents the

A) atomic mass.
B) atomic number.
C) number of neutrons.
D) number of electrons.

Question 19

The part of the atom that is responsible for all chemical interactions with other atoms is

A) the proton.
B) the neutron.
C) the outermost electrons.
D) the innermost electrons.

Question 20

Isotopes are different forms of a specific element that have

A) a different number of protons.
B) a different number of neutrons.
C) a different number of electrons.
D) a different atomic mass.

Question 21

In Compton scattering, the energy of the emitted electron

A) is equal to the energy of the incoming photon.
B) is less than the energy of the incoming photon.
C) is greater than the energy of the incoming photon.
D) is equal to the binding energy of the electron.

Question 22

An unstable configuration of protons and neutrons is referred to as nuclides.

Question 23

An electrically neutral atom has the same number of protons and neutrons.

Question 24

The probability of a photoelectric interaction

A) increases with low-Z material.
B) increases with high-Z material.
C) is high in tissue.
D) is high in water.

Question 25

For the photoelectric effect to occur, the energy of the incident photon must be

A) less than that of the binding energy of the orbital electron.
B) equal to that of the binding energy of the orbital electron.
C) greater than that of the binding energy of the orbital electron.
D) equal to the binding energy minus the photon energy.

Question 26

In the photoelectric process, the energy of the incoming photon

A) is completely absorbed.
B) scatters with no change of energy.
C) scatters with a loss of energy.
D) scatters with an increase of energy.

Question 27

Electrons can be deflected by an electronic or a magnetic field.

Question 28

The half-value layer (HVL) for annihilation radiation in lead is 4.1 cm. Approximately what percentage of a of 511 keV photon beam will penetrate 15 cm of lead?

A) 50%
B) 37%
C) 33%
D) 25%

Question 29

Pair production is always followed by

A) annihilation.
B) Compton scatter.
C) electron capture.
D) the photoelectric effect.

Question 30

Forms of electromagnetic radiation differ only in frequency and wavelength.

Question 31

The total number of protons is referred to as the atomic mass.

Question 32

An alternative process to the emission of a characteristic x-ray is

A) pair production.
B) photoelectric effect.
C) Compton scatter.
D) Auger effect.

Question 33

The relationship between the linear attenuation coefficient (u) and the half-value layer (HVL) is given by

A) (HVL/ $\mu$ = 0.693.)
B) ( $\mu$ = 0.693/HVL.)
C) (HVL = 0.693 $\mu$ .)
D) (HVL $\mu$ ² = 0.693.)