FARMINGTON – The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists recently certified Alex Popov in nuclear medicine. He passed an exam on patient care, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, radiation protection, radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals, and instrumentation and quality control.

A nuclear medicine technologist administers trace amounts of radiopharmaceuticals (radioactive drugs) to patients to obtain information about organs, tissues and bone. A technologist then uses a special camera to detect gamma rays emitted by the radiopharmaceuticals and creates an image of the body part being studied. The information is then recorded on a computer screen or on film for a physician to interpret.

Popov, who lives in Stratton, and has worked at Franklin Memorial Hospital since February.