Applications of Radioactivity in Medicine

Applications of radiation therapy therapy in MedicineIntroductionA hot element is an element with an seismic nucleus, which radiates alpha, beta or da Gamma radiation and gets converted to a stable element.Both radioisotopes and enriched stable isotopes be essential to a panoptic variety of applications in medicine, where they are phthisis in the diagnosis and preaching of illnesses. In numberition, extensive applications of isotopes in biomedical research finds wide parallel use ups in research chemistry, physics, biology and geosciences, with additional needs breathing in the commercial sector.HISTORYRadioactivity arrived on the scene of the world in the 19th century, and when people thought they knew e trulything in science. With its disco very(prenominal) in 1896, radioactivity opened a box of numerous questions and revealed a new world, waiting to be explored in the microcosm of the atomic nucleus.Radioactivity in like manner helped in say the questions which were not yet known. This helped science in numerous fields.WHAT MAKES AN ELEMENT RADIOACTIVE?thither are terzetto kinds of particles deep down an atom that is protons, neutrons and electrons. The nucleus contains the above mentioned two particles i.e. protons and neutrons. The region beyond the nucleus contains electrons that balance push through the charge of the protons. The number of protons is equal to the number of neutrons that is why the atomic weight is twice the atomic number. Since analogous charges repel each other which results a force that tries to push the electrons and protons apart. If the ratio of protons to the neutrons is not within authentic limits then the proton tooshie not be held firmly together which leads to the reverberateation of an unstable nucleus. Making the isotopes of many elements hot.For example, carbon, the element found in all living things has a chemical symbol C. the normal form has an atomic weight of 12 and is written as carbon-12, but the radioactive version has two special(a) neutrons, so the symbol iscarbon-14.As we shall see, the radioactive form behaves chemically just analogous the non-radioactive form, although one shall never qualifying into the other. There are three kinds of radioactivity each with different radiation type.RADIOACTIVITYRadioactivity is a very interesting phenomenon in reputation. Classical Electromagnetism cannot explain radioactivity. Its a spontaneous and random phenomenon whereby nuclei of certain chemical elements like Uranium, radiate gamma rays, beta particles and alpha particles.By the emission of these particles and radiation, the unstable nucleus gets converted into a stable nucleus. This is called RADIOACTIVE DECAY.Radioactivity was accidentally discovered by HENRI BECQUEREL.Scientists like Madam Curie and her husband Pierre besides worked hard to isolate other radioactive elements such as Polonium and Radium. Knowledge of radioactivity helped scientists to work out the structures of atoms.USES OF RADIOACTIVITYWe could not do without radioactive materials in to long time world, even if we wanted to. We rely on these radioactive elements every day to make us healthier, to help supply necessities like food and electricity, keep us safer, help us to protect our environment, add fun and convenience to our lives and help us learn more about our world.Radioisotopes have found a large number of applications. Some of them are as follows medical exam DiagnosisGenerate Electricity price reduction of new elementsPreservation of foodSmoke detectorsand many moreRADIOACTIVITY IN MEDICINEIonizing radiations has many beneficial uses as they can be employ for the diagnosis and for the curing of many diseases. Since infected cells can be killed by these radiations. Hence they are widely use in caner treatments.Radioactive isotopes are ordinarily used in medicine, which help the physicians to know more about the body structures. For the treatment of malignant neo plastic diseases radioisotopes are unremarkably used which require destruction of harmful cells ca utilize these type of diseases.Although nuclear medicine started its clinical line of credit in the 1930 decade, the invention of gamma scintillation camera by an American engineer Hal Anger in the mid of 1950s, though, this invention brought an important turn back in medicine imaging Radioactive isotopes also allow excellent musical note imaging of bone, heart, liver and many parts of our body. Gamma ray emitted tracers are used in large number of diagnostic procedures in nuclear medicine. These traces are formed due(p) to the bonding of radioisotopes having short life goal with chemical compounds that allow the targeting of a particular body regions or physiologic processes. Emitted gamma rays can be detected by gamma cameras and computer enhancement of the resulting images allows energetic and relatively non-invasive assessments of trauma or physiological impairments.CANCER w hich is a process of rapid growth of cells gets damage by radio isotopic radiations. Somehow, some cancerous growth of cells can be eliminated or restricted by the use of radioisotope radiations. The most common forms of external radiations therapy is use of the gamma radiations and X-rays. During the last fractional of the 20th century the radioisotope Cobalt-60 was most commonly used source of radiation used in such treatments. forthwith thousands of hospitals all over the world use radioisotopes in medicine, and about 90% of the procedures are used for diagnosis. Technetium-99 is the most common isotope used in diagnosis, with some 30 million procedures in a year, accounting for 80% of all nuclear medicine procedures all over the world.ISOTOPS COMMONLY USED IN MEDICINEThere are about 20 radioactive isotopes used in medicine. Each isotope has its own use in this field.Some of them areChromium-51, cobalt 60, Erbium 169, Iodine-125, Iridium-192, Sodium-24, Xenon-133, Selenium-75 , Strontium-89, Phosphorus-32 etc.Here is a list of isotopes with there half life period and usesChromium-51 Half life period 28 days Purpose utilize to notice red blood cells and quantify gastro- intestinal protein loss.Cobalt-60 Half life period is 10.5 months Purpose Formerly used for external beam radiotherapy.Erbium-169 Half life period is 9.4 days Purpose Use for relieving arthritis pain in synovial joints.Iodine-125 Half life period is 60 days Purpose Used in cancer Brach therapy (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 radioimmunology- assays to show the presence of hormones in tiny quantities.Iodine-131 Half life period is 8 days Purpose 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. I odine used for curing thyroid cancerIridium-192 half life period is 74 days Purpose Supplied in wire form for use as an internal radiotherapy source for cancer treatment (used then removed).Sodium-24 Half life period is 15 hours Purpose For studies of electrolytes within the body.Xenon-133 Half life period is 5 days Purpose Used for pulmonary (lung) ventilation studies.Phosphorus-32 Half life period is14 days Purpose Used in the treatment of polycythemia Vera (excess red blood cells). Beta emitter.X-Rays are used to examine the internal parts of the body that is bones to see the fractures.Applications of X-RaysRadiography Radiography is used to diagnose the ailment and diseases of the internal and hidden parts of the body using roentgenograms.Fluoroscopy Fluoroscopy is a type of medical imaging that shows a continuous x-ray image on a monitor.Digital Subtraction Angiography Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) is used to image blood vessels.Computerized Axial mental imagery A comp uterized axial tomography scan is an x-ray procedure that combines many x-ray images with the aid of a computer to generate cross-sectional views and, if needed, three-dimensional images of the internal organs and structures of the body.Mammography Mammography is a special type of x-ray that is used for the detailed images of breast.Radiation Therapy Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy), high-energy rays are used to damage cancer cells and divulge them from growing and dividing. A specialist in radiation therapy is called a radiation oncologist.Uses of Radioactive Materials in Medical ResearchUsed in Biomedical researches The Radioactive isotopic materials are very essential in curing many dreadful diseases like AIDS, cancer and Alzheimers disease.In Pharmaceutical drug testing The U.N. victuals and Drug Administration require all new pharmaceutical drugs to be tested for safety and performanceiveness. more(prenominal) than about 80 percent of those drugs are tested wi th radioactive materials. One of the most important tests is to model if the pharmaceutical is going to the other parts of the body than the desired or intended target and what effect it can cause to the parts where it is not needed. By adding a radioactive tag to the pharmaceutical, researchers can sail through all the parts of the body and the concentration that accumulates non-targeted areas. From this they can determine if there is likelihood of adverse reactions in other parts of the body.Metabolic Research Radionuclide is used extensively in metabolic studies and genetic engineering.chemical substance Reaction Imaging the latest single photon emission typography (SPET) on positron emission tomography (PET) enable scientists to watch colour images of chemical reactions in living tissue and, in particular, to trace opioid molecules- by nature occurring morphine-type drugs which eliminate pain within the brain.Side Effects of RadiationThe form of the energies that are relea sed from these elements in radiation therapy is often administered by machine. The machine aims those radiations at the cancer. Radioactive substances can also be kept inside the body of a person. These types of treatments can cause many side effect.These side effects may allow inhair lossnauseavomitingswellingdifficulty swallowingurinary and bladder changesThe side effects caused due to the treatment of the long-suffering can last long for a certain period of time. It may be a period of two months, six months or even a year. So the patient has to bear some pains after or during the curing of fatal diseases like cancer using radiation therapy.Radioactive Waste Disposal An Environmental PerspectiveAny activities that produce or use radioactive materials generate radioactive wastes. Various processes in medicine, scientific result and in all other fields produce bi products that include radioactive wastes. Radioactive waste can be in gas, liquid or solid form, and its level of rad ioactivity can vary. The waste can remain radioactive for a few hours or several months or even speed of light or thousands of years. Because it can be hazardous and can remain radioactive for so long, finding suitable disposal facilities for radioactive wastes is very difficult. Depending on the type of waste disposed, the disposal facility may need to contain radiations for a very long time. Proper disposal is essential to ensure protection of the health and safety of the public and quality of the air, soil and water supplies.Radioactivity waste disposal practices have changed substantially over the last cardinal years. Evolving environmental protection considerations have provided the impetus to improve disposal technologies, and, in some cases, clean up facilities that are no longer in use. Designs for new disposal facilities and disposal methods must meet environmental protection and pollution prevention standards that are stricter than were foreseen at the beginning of the a tomic age.CONCLUSIONOne hundred years ago, a group of scientists unknowingly ushered in the atomic age. Driven by curiosity, these men and women explored the nature and also the functioning of atom. Their work initiated the paths of research which changed our understanding of the building blocks of matter. There discoveries prepared the way for exploitation of new methods and tools used to explore our origins, the functioning of our bodies both in sickness and health, and much more. How did our conceptions of atomic properties change? How has that change affected our lives and our knowledge of world?Radiation is a two edged sword its value in both medicine and anthropological and archaeological studies is undisputed, yet the same materials can be used for destruction. Human curiosity drove inquiring scientists to harness the power of an atom. Now humankind must hold the responsibility for the appropriate and beneficial uses of this very powerful tool.