REACTOR RADIOISOTOPES (HALF-LIFE INDICATED)

Molybdenum-99

HALF-LIFE (66 h):

Used as the 'parent' in a generator to produce technetium-99m.

Technetium-99m

HALF-LIFE (6 h):

Used in to image the skeleton and heart muscle in particular, but also for brain, thyroid, lungs (perfusion and ventilation), liver, spleen, kidney (structure and filtration rate), gall bladder, bone marrow, salivary and lacrimal glands, heart blood pool, infection and numerous specialised medical studies.

Bismuth-213

HALF-LIFE (46 min):

Used for TAT.

Chromium-51

HALF-LIFE (28 d):

Used to label red blood cells and quantify gastro- intestinal protein loss.

Cobalt-60

HALF-LIFE (10.5 mth):

Formerly used for external beam radiotherapy.

Copper-64

HALF-LIFE (13 h):

Used to study genetic diseases affecting copper metabolism, such as Wilson's and Menke's diseases.

Dysprosium-165

HALF-LIFE (2 h):

Used as an aggregated hydroxide for synovectomy treatment of arthritis.

Erbium-169

HALF-LIFE (9.4 d):

Use for relieving arthritis pain in synovial joints.

Holmium-166

HALF-LIFE (26 h):

Being developed for diagnosis and treatment of liver tumours

Iodine-125

HALF-LIFE (60 d):

Used in cancer brachytherapy (prostate and brain), also diagnostically to evaluate the filtration rate of kidneys and to diagnose deep vein thrombosis in the leg.

It is also widely used in radioimmuno- assays to show the presence of hormones in tiny quantities.

Iodine-131

HALF-LIFE (8 d):

Widely used in treating thyroid cancer and in imaging the thyroid; also in diagnosis of abnormal liver function, renal (kidney) blood flow and urinary tract obstruction.

A strong gamma emitter, but used for beta therapy.

Iridium-192

HALF-LIFE (74 d):

Supplied in wire form for use as an internal radiotherapy source for cancer treatment (used then removed).

Iron-59

HALF-LIFE (46 d):

Used in studies of iron metabolism in the spleen

Lutetium-177

HALF-LIFE (6.7 d):

is increasingly important as it emits just enough gamma for imaging while the beta radiation does the therapy on small (eg endocrine) tumours.

Its half-life is long enough to allow sophisticated preparation for use.

Palladium-103

HALF-LIFE (17 d):

Used to make brachytherapy permanent implant seeds for early stage prostate cancer.

Phosphorus-32

HALF-LIFE (14 d):

Used in the treatment of polycythemia vera (excess red blood cells).

Beta emitter.

Potassium-42

HALF-LIFE (12 h):

Used for the determination of exchangeable potassium in coronary blood flow.

Rhenium-186

HALF-LIFE (3.8 d):

Used for pain relief in bone cancer. Beta emitter with weak gamma for imaging.

Rhenium-188

HALF-LIFE (17 h):

Used to beta irradiate coronary arteries from an angioplasty balloon.

Samarium-153

HALF-LIFE (47 h):

is very effective in relieving the pain of secondary cancers lodged in the bone, sold as Quadramet.

Also very effective for prostate and breast cancer.

Beta emitter.

Selenium-75

HALF-LIFE (120 d):

Used in the form of seleno-methionine to study the production of digestive enzymes.

Sodium-24

HALF-LIFE (15 h):

For studies of electrolytes within the body.

Strontium-89

HALF-LIFE (50 d):

Very effective in reducing the pain of prostate and bone cancer. Beta emitter.

Xenon-133

HALF-LIFE (5 d):

Used for pulmonary (lung) ventilation studies

Ytterbium-169

HALF-LIFE (32 d):

Used for cerebrospinal fluid studies in the brain.

Yttrium-90

HALF-LIFE (64 h):

Used for cancer brachytherapy and as silicate colloid for the relieving the pain of arthritis in larger synovial joints. Pure beta emitter.