Infectious diseases kill 13 million people every year, mostly in developing countries. Infectious diseases include viral infection such as the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), tuberculosis and malaria. Overall, global healthcare costs from respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS and malaria amount to more than 34 billion USD, ranking third after those for cancer and heart disease. Nuclear medicine and radiology imaging studies are crucial in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. White blood cells can be labeled with radioisotopes and can be used to detect infectious lesions. Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are state-of-the art technologies to diagnose diseases in detail.

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https://www.iaea.org/topics/diagnosis-of-infectious-diseases

Source: IAEA