PHYSICS FOLIO

RADIOISOTOPES AND ITS USES IN MEDICINE

PREPARED BY : MUHAMMAD HAIKAL BIN HUSNEY 5 AL-RAZI SEKOLAH MENENGAH AGAMA PERSEKUTUAN LABU

CONTENTS
CONTENTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 APPRECIATION INTRODUCTION DEFINITION USES OF RADIOISOTOPES CONCLUSION REFERENCES PAGE 2 3 4 5 14 15

APPRECIATION
Assalamualikum. Firstly, I want to show my appreciation to Puan Fuziah binti Ahmad,my physics teacher as she helps me to do this folio by giving guidelines to do it.It is such a big contribution to me because without guide,I cant do this folio.Thank you so much to her Then,I want to say thank you to my parents, Mr.Husney Bin Hamzah and Mrs. Maimun Bt Bahari to give support in form of money,efforts and motivations to do this folio.Without them,I cant do this folio briliantly.I need their support to do tis and they willing to sacrifice as I can do this folio.

Latly,I want to show my gratitude to my friends to help make this folio. Without them, I would not know my mistakes in making this folio and it is really helping to do this folio.Millions of thank you from me to people who have help me directly and indirectly in making this folio.

INTRODUCTION

Since the discovery of radioactivity by Henri Becquerel in 1896, further research have been done to make this harmful radioactive ray to be useful by humans.Today, radioactive substances such as uranium-235 is used to generate low-cost electricity that have been used in developed nations such as Japan and United States.The use of the radioactive substances are not only in generating electricity but in other fields such as agriculture, archaeology and especially in medicine field.

In this folio, I will explain the use of radioisotopes and its contribution to medical sciences.This method of treatment was developed by scientists in the western countries as an alternative way to cure cancer and many other diseases as a substitues of using chemicals that sometimes giving serious side effects to the patients.

DEFINITION

Radioisotopes is an element that have same number of proton but have different number of neutron.For the example, a sodium atom have a relative atomic mass of 23.So, it is called sodium-23.It also have proton number of 11.But in sodium-22,it have neutron number of 11 but have same proton number as sodium-23.So the relative atomic mass of sodium-22 is 22.

Radioisotopes emits 3 different types of rays which is alpha ray,beta ray and gamma ray.Different types of rays have different function even from a same element.It is very important in cancer treatment especially and the x-ray scan.Radioisotopes usually origins from lanthanides and actinides group of element or some from the transitional element group.

RADIOISOTOPES AND ITS USES

In medicine, Gadolinium-153

The Gd-153 isotope is used in X-ray fluorescence and osteoporosis screening. It is a gamma-emitter with an 8-month half-life, making it easier to use for medical purposes. In nuclear medicine, it serves to calibrate the equipment needed like singlephoton emission computed tomography systems (SPECT) to make x-rays. It ensures that the machines work correctly to produce images of radioisotope distribution inside the patient. This isotope is produced in a nuclear reactor from europium or enriched gadolinium.It can also detect the loss of calcium in the hip and back bones, allowing the ability to diagnose osteoporosis.

Iodine-131

Iodine-131 is commonly used to treat thyroid cancer, probably the most successful kind of cancer treatment. It is also used to treat non-malignant thyroid disorders.

Caesium-137

Used to treat cancerous tumors by exposing the cancerous part of the cell for a short time.It also used to measure correct patient dosages of radioactive pharmaceutical so the patient not consume dosages exceeding as the doctor prescribed.

Cobalt-60

Used in sterilising medical equipment, radiation source for medical radiotherapy,radiation source for industrial radiography,radioactive source for leveling devices and thickness gauges,as a radioactive source for food irradiation and blood irradiation, and as a radioactive source for laboratory use.

 Phosphorus-32

Particular use in the identification of malignant tumours because cancerous cells have a tendency to accumulate more phosphate than normal cells. The location of the phosphorus-32 can be traced from outside the body to identify the location of potential malignant tumors. The radiation emitted by phosphorus-32 can be used for therapeutic as well as diagnostic purposes. The use of 32P-chromic phosphate has been explored as a possible chemotherapy agent to treat disseminated ovarian cancer. In this situation it is the long-term toxic effects of beta radiation from phosphorus-32 accumulating in the cancerous cells which has the therapeutic effect.

In Archaeology: Carbon-14

Carbon-14 is detected by paleontologists by burn a small sample of a fossil to react the carbon in it with oxygen, to form CO2. The CO2 that contains carbon-14 will be radioactive, and the amount can be easily measured using a radiation counter. Burning is done to facilitate measuring the level of carbon-14.

Carbon-14 has a half life of about 5730 years. This means that in a given sample of a carbon-containing substance, without the carbon-14 being replenished, the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12 will decrease by half every 5730 years. Suppose for example, some archaeologists uncovered ancient manuscripts and found that the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12 in the paper was half of that found in living trees. This would mean that the manuscripts would be about 5730 years old.

In Agriculture:

Phosphate-32

A solution of phosphate, containing radioactive phosphorus-32, is injected into the root system of a plant. Since phosphorus-32 behaves indentically to that of phosphorus-31, the more common and non-radioactive form of the element, it is used by the plant in the same way. A Geiger counter is then used to detect the movement of the radioactive phosphorus-32 throughout the plant. This information helps scientists understand the detailed mechanism of how plants utilized phosphorus to grow and reproduce.

Nitrogen-15

Fertilisers 'labelled' with a particular isotope, such as nitrogen-15 and phosphorus-32 provide a means of finding out how much is taken up by the plant and how much is lost, allowing better management of fertiliser application. Using N-15 also enables assessment of how much nitrogen is fixed from the air by soil and by root bacteria in legumes.

In Industry Gold-198

Used to trace factory waste causing ocean pollution, and to trace sand movement in river beds and ocean floors Chlorine-36:

Used to measure sources of chloride and the age of water (up to 2 million years).

CONCLUSION

In medicine, uses of radioisotopes is become more important nowadays. Scientists will do more research in search of new radionuclides that can be used in various fields and discovered some radionuclides like strontium-89 is used to relieve pain caused by cancer. We must adapt their non-stop effort habit in our life so we can discover new knowledges that will be useful in our lives.

Then, their efforts in developing methods of using radioisotopes in various fields must be followed as it will open our mind to explore new things.Their curiosity will lead in developing specific field.So,the curiosity can be adapt in our life to explore new things around us and who knows you can do a remarkable discovery to the world.

Lastly, we have to work tiredlessly as the scientist do this as it will contribute to development of many fields.We can adapt it In our life so we have to struggle to get achievements in our life.

REFERENCES
Websites http://www.ptable.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Uses_of_radioisotopes http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf55.html http://www.buzzle.com/articles/radioactive-isotopes-in-medicine.html