Nuclear medicine: radionuclide bone pain therapy: practice question

A Radiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Radiology · Nuclear medicine: radionuclide bone pain therapy

Sample item

Which radionuclide, an alpha emitter, is approved for castration-resistant prostate cancer with symptomatic bone metastases?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Radium-223

Radium-223 dichloride is a calcium mimetic that targets areas of bone turnover and delivers short-range alpha radiation to metastases, improving survival. Tc-99m and I-123 are diagnostic gamma emitters, and F-18 is a positron emitter used in imaging.

Option by option

  • A. Technetium-99m

    Tc-99m is diagnostic.

  • B. Fluorine-18

    F-18 is a diagnostic positron emitter.

  • C. Iodine-123

    I-123 is diagnostic.

  • D. Radium-223 (correct)

    Correct. Radium-223 is a therapeutic alpha emitter.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is D, Radium-223. Radium-223 dichloride is a calcium mimetic that targets areas of bone turnover and delivers short-range alpha radiation to metastases, improving survival.

Why is "Technetium-99m" not the answer?

Tc-99m is diagnostic.

Why is "Fluorine-18" not the answer?

F-18 is a diagnostic positron emitter.

Why is "Iodine-123" not the answer?

I-123 is diagnostic.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nuclear medicine: radionuclide bone pain therapy in Radiology. Tc-99m and I-123 are diagnostic gamma emitters, and F-18 is a positron emitter used in imaging.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Nuclear medicine: radionuclide bone pain therapy?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.