Radioisotopes are used to investigate the activities of the thyroid gland using a Radioisotope of Iodine.
Radioisotopes in medicine
Medical research will find more ways to use radiation and radioisotopes to improve our lives as the technology is growing wider. Today, radiation is used internally to treat other cancers, and nearly half of all cancer patients in the U.S. receive radiation treatment at some point in their therapy. Some examples are
- Brachytherapy is a form of internal radiotherapy where a radiation source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. Brachytherapy involves the precise placement of short-range radioisotopes directly at the site of the cancerous tumour.
- Iodine-123-Widely used to diagnose thyroid disorders and other metabolic disorders, including brain function.
- Copper-67-When injected with monoclonal antibodies into a cancer patient helps the antibodies bind to and destroy the tumour.
- Iodine-131-Used to treat thyroid disorders. (Graves’s disease)
