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Sample Certification Questions and Problems

I. Radiopharmacy and Nuclear Medicine Physics

II. Clinical Procedures

Radionuclide Generators

  1. The Tc99m eluted from the Mo99/Tc99m generator is in the chemical form of
    1. pertechnetate (Tc04)
    2. hydrolyzed reduced Tc, e.g. Tc0(OH)2.(H20)
    3. Technetium hydroxide, e.g. Tc(OH)4
    4. Technetium sulfate, e.g. Tc(S04)2
    5. None of the above
  2. The parent/daughter relationship in a Mo/Tc generator is classical example of
    1. dynamic stability
    2. secular equilibrium
    3. transient equilibrium
    4. reverse isomeric transition
    5. none of the above
  3. Which of the following is/are true for transient equilibrium:
    1. at equilibrium, the physical half-life of the daughter equals the physical half-life of the parent
    2. at equilibrium, the physical half-life of the daughter is 10 times as great as the physical half-life of the parent
    3. at equilibrium, the apparent half-life of the parent equals the physical half-life of the daughter
    4. at equilibrium, the apparent half-life of the daughter equals the physical half-life of the parent
    5. none of the above
  4. We analyze the generator eluate for impurities. These include
    1. free Tc, Al3+ ion, Mo99
    2. free Tc, Mo99, Hydrolyzed Reduced Tc
    3. Al3+ , Mo99, Hydrolyzed Reduced Tc
    4. free Tc, Hydrolyzed Reduced Tc
    5. perchlorate, molybdate
  5. After a molybdenum-99/technetium-99m generator is eluted with typical efficiency, the in-growing Tc-99m reaches a maximum
    1. at about 2 hours
    2. between 2 and 6 hours
    3. between 6 and 12 hours
    4. between 12 and 24 hours
    5. only after 30 hours
Answers | List of Contents

Physics of Nuclear Medicine

  1. A parent nucleus decays by emitting a gamma photon. Parent and daughter nuclei are:
    1. isotopes
    2. isotones
    3. isobars
    4. isomers
    5. combination of 2 or more of the above
  2. In Beta-decay, which of the following is emitted?
    1. an ordinary electron
    2. a positron
    3. a positron/electron pair
    4. annihilation radiation
  3. Gamma rays are most similar to which one of the following
    1. X-rays
    2. High speed electrons
    3. infra-red radiation
    4. sound waves
    5. laser beams
  4. After an atom has decayed by giving off a negative beta particle and a gamma ray, the remaining atom is:
    1. An atom of a new element having an atomic number one higher than the old and with no or little change in mass number.
    2. An atom of a new element having an atomic number one higher than the old and with a significant lowering of mass number.
    3. Unchanged except it has now become stable.
    4. An atom of a new element having an atomic number one less than the old and with no or little change in mass number.
  5. Which of the following accurately defines a millicurie?
    1. 3.7 x 107 counts/sec
    2. 3.7 x 107 counts/min
    3. 3.6 x 107 disintegrations/sec
    4. 3.7 x 107 disintegrations/sec
Answers | List of Contents

Math Problems

  1. A vial contains 100 mCi of an unidentified radionuclide, at 10 a.m. Thursday. At 10 a.m. Friday, the activity has decayed to 25 mCi. What is the half-life of the unidentified radionuclide?
    1. 24 hours
    2. 12 hours
    3. 4 hours
    4. 100 hours
  2. A collimated beam with 3 half-value layers of lead in front of it gives a reading of 10 mR/hr. If 1 half-value layer is removed, what would be the intensity reading?
    1. 5 mR/hr
    2. 20 mR/hr
    3. 3/2 x 10 mR/hr
    4. none of the above
  3. At some point in time a source has an activity of 1,000 mCi. At a later point in time the activity is 62.5 mCi. The half-life is unknown. How many half-lives have elapsed?
    1. three
    2. four
    3. five
    4. can't be determined from the data provided
  4. For Tc-99m, what fraction remains after 19 hours?
    1. 6/19
    2. (6/19)2
    3. (0.5)6/19
    4. (0.5)19/6
  5. A radioactive source has a dose rate of 40 mR/hr at a distance of one foot. At what distance from this source would a technician working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks per year receive a total dose of 5,000 mR?
    1. 10 feet
    2. 6 feet
    3. 4 feet
    4. 3 feet
Answers | List of Contents

Radiopharmacy

  1. The mechanism of radiopharmaceutical localization in lung scanning is:
    1. phagocytosis
    2. capillary blockade
    3. active transport
    4. adsorption to hydroxyapatite crystals
  2. The mechanism of uptake of radiopharmaceutical in liver-spleen scanning is
    1. Particulate blockade
    2. Phagocytosis by the RE system
    3. Hydrolysis of the colloid particles by the hepatocytes
    4. b and c
    5. None of the above
  3. Which of the following is/are suitable for thyroid imaging?
    1. Tc-99m sodium pertechnetate
    2. I123 sodium iodide
    3. I125 sodium iodide
    4. I131 sodium iodide
  4. Tl-201 is a useful cardiac imaging agent because of the following properties:
    1. It is a potassium analog
    2. localizes in acutely infarcted myocardium
    3. It's distributed proportional to relative blood flow.
    4. a and c only
    5. All of the above
  5. Which of the following is/are suitable for reducing pertechnetate prior to tagging to a chelating agent?
    1. stannous ion (Sn2+)
    2. stannic ion (Sn4+)
    3. thallous ion (Tl1+)
    4. mercuric ion (Hg2+)
    5. none of the above
Answers | List of Contents

Quality Control

  1. Which of the following systems are suitable for chromatographic determination of radiochemical impurities in Tc-99m MDP?
    1. Silica gel/saline for free Tc, paper/acetone for HR Tc
    2. Silica gel/saline for HR Tc, paper/acetone for free Tc
    3. 20% saline for free Tc, water for HR Tc
    4. 20% saline for HRTc, water for free Tc
  2. The amount of Hydrolyzed Reduced Tc-99m found in preparations of Tc-MAA
    1. is typically <1%
    2. is typically between 1-3 %
    3. is typically between 5-10%
    4. Hydrolyzed Reduced Tc-99m can't be separated in simple chromatography systems from Tc-MAA
  3. When performing the Mo-breakthrough test, the technologist first determines the reading of the unshielded vial containing the eluate in the plastic sleeve routinely used to measure Tc-99m doses. The Tc-99m setting is used. With long-handled tongs, he then carefully transfers the eluate vial into the special lead vial shield accompanying his dose calibrator, covers the shield with a lead cover and, using the Mo-99 setting, determines the amount of Mo-99 present. Which one of the following is true?
    1. The individual steps were performed correctly and in correct order
    2. The individual steps were performed correctly, but in incorrect order
    3. The individual steps were performed incorrectly but in correct order
    4. The individual steps were performed incorrectly and in incorrect order
  4. You assisted in the administration of a 10 mCi therapy dose of I131 NaI. True/False:
    1. You must have your thyroid monitored 24 hours after dose administration
    2. The RSO must collect a urine and blood sample from everyone participating in the therapy dose administration to ensure absence of uptake of volatile iodine
    3. You must take 200 mg of Saturated Solution of KI p.o. prior to dose administration
    4. None of the above is required
Answers | List of Contents

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