What forms of nuclear medicine treatment are used for palliative care?

In palliative care, the primary goal is to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses, rather than to attempt a cure. The use of specific radionuclides like Radium-223 and Yttrium-90 exemplifies effective nuclear medicine treatments in this context.

Radium-223 is particularly beneficial for patients suffering from bone metastases, as it specifically targets and binds to areas of increased bone turnover, such as those affected by cancer, delivering localized radiation effectively. This helps to alleviate pain and reduce the severity of skeletal-related events associated with metastatic bone disease.

Yttrium-90 is used for targeted therapies, especially in localized tumors such as liver cancer. It emits beta radiation, allowing for a concentrated dose of radiation directly to the tumor while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. This approach not only helps in pain management but can also affect tumor size and the overall prognosis.

Both of these treatments are direct applications of nuclear medicine that align well with the objectives of palliative care by relieving pain and other symptoms linked to advanced cancer. This makes the answer pertaining to Radium-223 and Yttrium-90 the most appropriate choice for palliative care in the context of nuclear medicine. The other options listed do