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Radioactive Isotopes

This document discusses radioactive isotopes and their clinical applications. It defines isotopes and radioactivity, including units of measurement like curies and half-life. Radioactive isotopes are used to treat cancer and detect issues in the thyroid, bones, and kidneys. Radiation can directly damage DNA in cancer cells or indirectly damage blood supply. Precautions like shielding, distancing, and minimizing exposure time are needed when working with radioactive materials due to biological effects like damage to skin, mucous membranes, and blood cells.

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Sravan kumar Bairu
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84 views

Radioactive Isotopes

This document discusses radioactive isotopes and their clinical applications. It defines isotopes and radioactivity, including units of measurement like curies and half-life. Radioactive isotopes are used to treat cancer and detect issues in the thyroid, bones, and kidneys. Radiation can directly damage DNA in cancer cells or indirectly damage blood supply. Precautions like shielding, distancing, and minimizing exposure time are needed when working with radioactive materials due to biological effects like damage to skin, mucous membranes, and blood cells.

Uploaded by

Sravan kumar Bairu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES

Objectives:
 Introduction
 Definition
 Clinical Applications
 Biological effects of radiations
 Precautions
Introduction:
 Lord Ernest Rutherford (Nobel prize, 1908) put forward the nuclear
theory of atom.
 Proton carries one positive charge
 Neutron carries no net charge. It has the same mass as that of
proton. Protons and neutrons together constitute the nucleus of
atoms.
 Electron is generally abbreviated as e and revolves around the
nucleus.
 Valency: Electrons are taking part in all chemical reactions. The
electrons revolve around the nucleus at different energy levels or in
shells.
Definition:
1. ISOTOPES: Isotopes are the elements having the same atomic
number (protons) but different mass number (varying number of
neutrons).
2. RADIOACTIVITY: The spontaneous degradation of nucleus and
transmutation of one element to another with consequent emission
of rays or particles is known as radioactivity.
3. Curie (Ci): One Curie, abbreviated as Ci, is equivalent to 3.7 ×
1010 disintegrations per second (dps).
4. Becqueral (Bq): Becqueral (Bq) is defined as decay per second,
(dps). 1 Bq = 1 dps. It is often expressed as kilobecquerals (kBq).
5. Half-life: The half-life is the time taken for a radioactive isotope to
become half of its original activity.
Clinical Applications:
 Radioactivity is used for treatment of cancer.
 131I are used to detect functional derangements of thyroid gland.
 Twenty-four hours after administering the dose of 131I
intravenously, the patient is placed under the scanner, which detects
the radioactive emissions from the neck region.
 Bone scanning: 90Sr (radioactive strontium) is employed.
Osteoblastoma (cancer arising from bone forming cells) could be
detected very early by this method
 Kidney scanning is done by injecting 131I-labeled hippuran
Biological effects of radiations:
 Direct Effects on Cancer Tissues:
 The radiation damages DNA molecules.
 But the damage is observed during the next mitosis. Since new DNA
cannot be synthesized, cells die at the attempt of the next division.
 Indirect Effects on Cancer Tissues:
 Damage to local blood supply cuts off the nutrition and causes local
necrosis and cell death.
 Effects on Skin:
 Sweat glands may be permanently damaged.
 There may be erythema and sometimes blisters. This is called acute
radiodermatitis.
 Chronic radio dermatitis is seen after a few months of radiotherapy.
There will be atrophy of skin, hypopigmentation, fibrosis, loss of
elasticity
 Effects on Mucous Membrane:
 The gastrointestinal mucosa is very sensitive to radiation.
 These include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and in severe cases
ulceration and bleeding.
 Effects on Blood Cells:
 Bone marrow and lymphoid tissues are highly radiosensitive
because of the higher rate of cell division in these organs.
 Effects on Reproductive Organs:
 Gonads (ovary and testis) are highly radiosensitive. Complete
sterility is effected at 1000 rads.
Radiation Monitoring and Precautions:
 Doctors, nurses, radiographers and research workers using the
radioactive substances should wear a badge containing a piece of
film.
1. Keep the source farther away.
2. Shield the radioactive sources; cover them with lead bricks.
3. Handling is done by remote devices. Use lead-rubber gloves and
aprons.
4. Radioactive materials are to be handled with speed. The shorter
the time spent near the source, the lower the dose received

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