The Use of Isotopes in Medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Use of Isotopes in Medicine - Essay ExampleMajority of the chemic elements that exist on earth incur multiple isotopes (Gagne, Leonard and Rivard, 2012). However, it is only that a single isotope gains dominance repayable to its abundant nature than the rest. Mostly, atoms argon defined using their push-down storage numbers (protons + neutrons) and this number is added to their chemical emblem as a subscript. Atom stability of the nucleus depends greatly on the protons to neutrons ratio. Isotopes have two classifications the static ones which do not change with time and the ones that possess a ratio that makes them unstable allowing them to change their mass numbers (Ling, et al, 2012). Stable isotopes have a constant concentration in the environment, though their distribution keeps on changing depending on the environmental preferences. Unstable isotopes decay with time through a process called radio-activity and feign different states. For instance, over a period of time it has been found that carbon 14 decays into carbon 12. Bonfils, et al., (2012) explains that just about isotopes argon more active than others and are more likely to decay faster than others until they attain stability. Fortunately, this straddle of decay evict be predicted or even measured hence can be employ age determination. Used In Diagnosis Isotopes, especially radio-isotopes are widely being used in medicine to carry out nuclear examinations. Nuclear medicine is a scientific branch in medicine that employs the use of radiations to provide more tuition to the human bodys electronic organic procedure or disease treatment (Jodal, Le Loirec & Champion, 2012). Through this information collected a proper and complete diagnosis is given regarding a endurings illness. Diagnostic techniques in most cases use tracers which are radioactive in nature for the body to release gamma rays. These tracers are short-lived but are judged with the role of checking particular physiolo gical processes. The tracers can be administered orally or through injections after which a camera is used to detect them. Gagne, Leonard, and Rivard (2012) assert that through the radiations being caused by the tracers, a doctor can examine the image produced by the camera and identify where the exact problem lies. Let us have a look at the PET scan where a radionuclide is injected into a body of a patient and concentrated in the tissue targeted (Jodal, Le Loirec & Champion, 2012). As the radionuclide decays, it emits positrons whose combination with electrons gives gamma rays emission that can be identified easily. Through the PET camera, their original direction can be studied and the affected organ be identified. The most commonly used isotopes in this study are fluoride- 18 which is used as an oncology tracer. It is the most effective method used in cancer examinations as well as intent and brain cell examinations. These scans have improved the diagnosis by almost 30%, providi ng critical information regarding the various types of diseases (Ling, et al., 2012). They can also be used to detect malfunction of organs through the renovate of isotope movement. Use of Isotopes in Radionuclide Therapy (RNT) This is the art of controlling or even getting rid of the cancer neoplasm by using radionuclide radiations (Rana, et al, 2012). The tumor is irradiated through a process known as teletherapy, which is performed by emitting a beam of gamma rays from a radioactive source called cobalt-60. However, the