| One of the recent branches of medical science is the | | | | As many as five Nobel laureates were |
| nuclear medicine. Besides various elements nuclear | | | | associated with development of radioisotopes based |
| medicine uses radiation for generating diagnostic | | | | detecting methods in medical science; |
| information relating to functioning of specific organs. | | | | More than ten thousand hospitals across the |
| Such radiation is also used for therapeutic treatment | | | | globe use radioisotopes in medicine; |
| of ailing organs. Such diagnostic processes have now | | | | 90% of these uses are for diagnostic purposes; |
| become a routine affair in medical science. | | | | Common radioisotope used in diagnosis is the |
| Use of Radioisotopes and Radiotherapy | | | | technetium-99 that is used in over thirty million |
| Radioisotopes for radiotherapy are severally used in | | | | procedures a year accounting for over 80% of all |
| the treatment of - | | | | medicine procedures in the world. |
| Cancer of any type; | | | | Frequencies of Radioisotopes Use |
| Tumors and other external and internal | | | | 26% of the world population resides in developed |
| disfigurations in human anatomy; | | | | countries. Frequency of use of nuclear medicines and |
| It targets the damaged, effected, or ailing cells | | | | therefore radioisotopes in these countries come to |
| and destroys them; | | | | 1.9% per annum. Over 18 million frequencies are used |
| Since use is painless the demands are growing | | | | in United States alone for around 305 million people. |
| rapidly. | | | | Such frequencies in Europe come to about ten million |
| Use of Radioisotopes in Nuclear Medicine | | | | for 500 million people. Use of radioisotopes comes to |
| In nuclear medicine the radioisotopes are used for | | | | around 560,000 in Australia for 21 million people. |
| detecting the specific functions of the organs or for | | | | Specific Use of Radioisotopes in Medical Procedures |
| treating the diseases. The reasons for its widespread | | | | 36% of the total radiation exposure is used for the |
| use are | | | | computed X-ray tomography or CT scan as they are |
| Diagnosis is quick and accurate about the illness | | | | popularly known. According to the US National Council |
| of the patient; | | | | on the Radiation Protection and Measurements |
| Organs like thyroid, bones, heart, and liver can | | | | Report of the year 2009, the exposure to radiation in |
| get damaged pretty easily and disorders in their | | | | US has increased from 3.6 millisievert to that of 6.2 |
| functioning can be detected using radiations; | | | | millisieverts during 1980-2010. |