Radioisotopes: Finding and Killing

CancerBy Maddie P, Rosie M, and

Natasha A

What is Nuclear Medicine?

• Nuclear medicine is a way to diagnose and treat diseases using radioactive substances11

• One of its most common uses it diagnosing and treating cancer11

• It allows doctors to detect problems within the body without having to do invasive surgery11

• To diagnose, machines use properties of radioactive elements to create an image of the body11

• to treat Cancer doctors uses radiation11

What is Cancer?

• Cancer is a disease where abnormal cells divide uncontrollably8

• There are many different types of cancer8

• In some types of cancer, the abnormal cells spread to other parts of the body8

• Normal cells divide, and when a cell is old or damaged it dies8

• In cancer, the mutated cells keep dividing instead of dying and they create a tumor8

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http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/what-is-cancer

How Cancer is Detected• Doctors give a patient radioisotopes by

injection, inhalation, or orally1

• The radioisotopes will spread and gather in certain parts of the body2

• By using PET, SPECT, gamma cameras, bone scanners, and other machines an image of the body can be created based on the properties of the radioactive element and where it is gathering in the body9

• These machines sense the gamma rays(energy) which are being given off3

How Cancer is Detected

• Doctors choose different isotopes depending of where they think the cancer is2

• Some isotopes would not have an effect in certain parts of the body2

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http://www.scq.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/PET-scan.jpg

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http://www.petimagingflorida.com/images/pet_scan.jpg.

Common Radioisotopes Used to Detect Cancer1

Type of Isotope What type of Cancer it Detects

Technetium-99 Brain Tumors

Iodine-131 Thyroid Cancer

Phosphorus-32 Skin Cancer

Holmium-166 Liver Cancer

Gallium-68 Pancreatic Cancer

Nuclear Decay Equations!

• 3215P 32

16S+0-1e

• 6831Ga 68

30Zn+0-1e

Treating Cancer

• Once the cancer has been found it is treated using radiation3

• The radiation damages the cancer cells when it gives of large amounts of energy4

• Radiation is not harmful to the patient because – The radioisotopes used have a short half life, so

the patient is not affected for very long5

– It is minimally invasive11

– Healthy cells are less affected by the radiation then the cancer cells are5

Treating Cancer

• Radioisotopes damages rapidly dividing cancer cells because they are sensitive to and easily damaged by radiation3

http://ccmb.marshillgroup.com/resource/Image/medical%20physics/Isocentric_Tx.jpg

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Different Types of Radiation• Skin Cancer is treated using External Beam Radiation

Therapy (Teletherapy) 10

– This type of radiation uses low energy radiation and focuses it on the cancer10

– The machines used areorthovoltage x-ray machines, Cobalt-60 machines, linear accelerators, proton beam machines, and neutron beam machines12

• Cancers in the eye, head, neck, and uterus are treated using Internal Radiation Therapy (Brachytherapy)13

– In Brachytherapy radiation is placed close to the cancer in a seed, wire, or rod13

– This can be used with Teletherapy to give an extra boost of radiation to the large mass of cancer cells13

During Cancer Treatment

• During treatment doctors use machines like gamma cameras to make sure the cancer is regressing

• Radioactive tracers like Copper-64, Iodine-124, and Flourine-18 are used to trace the cancer

• During these procedures the size and shape of the cancer can be determined

• If the cancer is not regressing doctors know that they must try a different type of radiation

Disadvantages to Nuclear Medicine• Healthy cells that reproduce rapidly,

like hair, can be killed during radiation. This causes hair to fall out5

• It is very expensive7 • The radioisotopes can be dangerous

to handle and dispose of7

• The procedures must be fast because the radioisotopes have a short half life7

• Pregnant women can not be treated• Allergic reactions can occur7

• Radiation can not treat all cancers because sometimes it needs to be combined with surgery or chemotherapy7

http://frenchquarterradiationfreecom/img/dangerrads.

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Common Radioisotopes in Treating Cancer1

Radioisotope Cancer Used to Treat

Techtinium-99 Liver disorders, brain tumors

Holomium-166 Liver Tumors

Iodine-131 Thyroid Cancer

Cesium-137, and Cobalt-60 are used to destroy other types of cancer

More Nuclear Decay Equations!

• 9943Tc 99

44Ru+0-1e

• 16667Ho 166

68Er+0-1e

• 13153I 131

54Xe+0-1ee

Bibliography1Sterling, Toby. "European shortage of isotope used to detect cancer - International Business Times - ." International Business News | Online Business News - International Business Times. 8 Sep. 2005. 31 Oct. 2008 http://www.northland.cc.mn.us/biology/Biology1111/Bioreadings/radioisotopes.htm

2Boyd, Rex. "Radioisotopes in Medicine." Radioisotopes in Medicine: WNA. 8 Oct. 1931 <ihttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf55.html>.

3Bergman, David L. "Radioisotopes: Frequently Asked Questions." RADIOCHEMISTRY SOCIETY - Specialized Courses in Radiochemistry. 31 Oct. 2008 <http://www.radiochemistry.org/nuclear

4"Radioactive Sealed Source Management | Radiation Protection | US EPA." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 8 Sep. 1930. 31 Oct. 2008

5Boyd, Rex. "Radioisotopes in Medicine." Radioisotopes in Medicine: WNA. 8 Oct. 1931 <ihttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf55.html

6Galik, Rich. "CCMR - Ask A Scientist!." Cornell Center for Materials Research. 21 Nov. 2008. 31 Oct. 2008 <http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/index.html?quid=1073

7Commitee, (American College Of Radiology. "Positron Emission Tomography – Computed Tomography (PET/CT) Scanning." Radioology Info. 16 Sep. 2008. 31 Oct. 2008 <www.radiologyinfo.org/en/pdf/PET.pdf

More Bibliography8Specialist, Nci. "What Is Cancer? - National Cancer Institute." Comprehensive Cancer Information - National Cancer Institute. 8 Apr. 2008. 31 Oct. 2008 <http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/what-is-cancer

9Alteri, Rick. "ACS :: Cancer Facts & Figures 2008." American Cancer Society :: Information and Resources for Cancer: Breast, Colon, Prostate, Lung and Other Forms. 31 Oct. 2008 <http://www.cancer.org/docroot/STT/content/STT_1x_Cancer_Facts_and_Figures_2008.asp?from=fast>.

10Publications, Nci. "Leukemia Home Page - National Cancer Institute." Comprehensive Cancer Information - National Cancer Institute. 30 Mar. 2003. 31 Oct. 2008 <http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/leukemia

11Freudenrich, Craig C. . "HowStuffWorks "How Nuclear Medicine Works"." HowStuffWorks - Learn How Everything Works!. 18 Oct. 2000. 31 Oct. 2008 <http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-medicine1.htm

12Commitee, (American College Of Radiology. "Positron Emission Tomography – Computed Tomography (PET/CT) Scanning." Radioology Info. 16 Sep. 2008. 31 Oct. 2008 <www.radiologyinfo.org/en/pdf/PET.pdf

13Specialist, Nci. "Melanoma Home Page - National Cancer Institute." Comprehensive Cancer Information - National Cancer Institute. 31 Mar. 2003. 31 Oct. 2008 <http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/melanoma

14Usa, American Cancer Society. "Cancer Screening Overview - National Cancer Institute." Comprehensive Cancer Information - National Cancer Institute. 10 Apr. 2008. 31 Oct. 2008<http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/overview/healthprofessional