title: Justification of the hybrid nuclear medicine examinations.
abstract: The annual frequency of nuclear medicine examinations is increasing worldwide. This is partly a consequence of the recently introduced single photon emission tomography, combined with computed tomography, and positron emission tomography, combined with computed tomography, techniques, which combine functional, metabolic and morphological information important for the diagnosis of many diseases. However, since the effective radiation dose is the sum of the dose of two components, the hybrid examinations result in increased patient exposure. Accordingly, their justification becomes mandatory. It starts with their clinical importance-the opportunity to resolve a clinical problem decisive for patients' management. Knowledge of the indications, contraindications and the examinations' limitations is the responsibility of the nuclear medicine physician, as well as the choice of the most adequate examination and protocol. In conclusion, the cost and the accessibility of the examinations should not be the principal consideration as opposed to the diagnostic value and the exposure. Flexible protocols and algorithms should be used for hybrid nuclear medicine examinations.
authors: Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Alexandrovska, 2, 'Zdrave' Str., Sofia 1431, Bulgaria marina.garcheva@gmail.com.
authors: Marina B
authors: MB
authors: Garcheva-Tsacheva
mesh_terms: D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D038622:Internationality; D064847:Multimodal Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*