B-Medical+Isotopes

Medical isotopes are the use of radioactive isotopes in the diagnosis and/or treatment of a disease. A radioactive isotope is an isotope of an element that has an unstable nucleus and therefore emits alpha, beta or gamma radiation. There are many different types of medical isotopes helping treat a huge variety of diseases.
 * __ What are medical isotopes and how are they sourced? __ **
 * General **

Medical isotopes are sourced using nuclear reactors. These reactors are used to irradiate materials with neutrons. These neutrons change the nucleus of the irradiated material by adding a neutron, or by splitting it in the process of nuclear fission. One of the biggest producers of medical isotopes is Chalk River Laboratories in Canada, which produces almost one third of the world’s medical isotopes. In May the plant had to shutdown due to a leak in the water system said to have been caused by corrosion. The shutdown of chalk river created a global shortage of medical isotopes,
 * How they are sourced **

As useful as medical isotopes are they do come with a lot of baggage. Firstly if somebody is exposed to these isotopes it can cause radiation poising which in turn cause cancer and other fatal diseases. This creates numerous problems with storing isotopes. They have to be stored with the utmost care in prevention of emitting radiation to the surroundings especially when being transported to hospitals.
 * Problems **

Transportation has to be done quickly and efficiently as many medical isotopes have a short half life meaning they have to reach there location in a matter of days with having all the safety precautions in its storing.

The plants that make medical isotopes have to be constantly updated in its safety features as one melt down could potentially destroy the whole area the plant is located.

An example of a medical isotope is cobalt-60 which is used to treat of tumors. Cobalt-60 releases high amounts of gamma radiation to make it stable and those gamma rays are pointed at the tumor with extreme precision. The radiation is so high that it destroys the cells in the tumor and if done properly gets rid of the cancerous cells. This does not come without risk. If healthy cells are exposed to radiation but not killed then they too can become cancerous. Also if the radiation is used excessively and the entire body is exposed to many cells could be killed at once affecting an organ and its function.
 * Example **

 · Chalk River Laboratories - National Research Universal Profile - Medical Isotopes. (n.d.). Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) Energie atomique du Canada limitee (EACL). Retrieved November 8, 2010, from http://www.aecl.ca/Science/CRL/NRU/Isotopes.htm
 * Sources**

Dick, G., & Keefe, D. (2002). Physics 12. Whitby, Ont.: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Medical Isotopes: Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d.). Citizens for Medical Isotopes. Retrieved November 12, 2010, from http://www.medicalisotopes.org