Book excerpt: Covering both the fundamentals and recent developments in this fast-changing field, Essentials of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 7th Edition, is a must-have resource for radiology residents, nuclear medicine residents and fellows, nuclear medicine specialists, and nuclear medicine technicians. Known for its clear and easily understood writing style, superb illustrations, and self-assessment features, this updated classic is an ideal reference for all diagnostic imaging and therapeutic patient care related to nuclear medicine, as well as an excellent review tool for certification or MOC preparation. Provides comprehensive, clear explanations of everything from principles of human physiology, pathology, physics, radioactivity, radiopharmaceuticals, radiation safety, and legal requirements to hot topics such as new brain and neuroendocrine tumor agents and hybrid imaging, including PET/MR and PET/CT. Covers the imaging of every body system, as well as inflammation, infection and tumor imaging; pearls and pitfalls for every chapter; and pediatric doses and guidelines in compliance with the Image Gently and Image Wisely programs. Features a separate self-assessment section on differential diagnoses, imaging procedures and artifacts, and safety issues with unknown cases, questions, answers, and explanations. Includes new images and illustrations, for a total of 430 high-quality, multi-modality examples throughout the text. Reflects recent advances in the field, including updated nuclear medicine imaging and therapy guidelines • Updated dosimetry values and effective doses for all radiopharmaceuticals with new values from the 2015 International Commission on Radiological Protection • Updated information regarding advances in brain imaging, including amyloid, dopamine transporter and dementia imaging • Inclusion of Ga-68 DOTA PET/CT for neuroendocrine tumors • Expanded information on correlative and hybrid imaging with SPECT/CT • New myocardial agents • and more. Contains extensive appendices including updated comprehensive imaging protocols for routine and hybrid imaging, pregnancy and breastfeeding guidelines, pediatric dosages, non-radioactive pharmaceuticals used in interventional and cardiac stress imaging, and radioactivity conversion tables.