Posted: September 10th, 2023

Radioisotopes, Their Nature and Uses In Scientific Research and Medicine

Radioisotopes
In the modern era, science has become the major phenomenon in the field of medicine and has impacted positively in the identification of a given problem. With the emerging problems, science has proved it is the only element that can promulgate the world to a reliable place (1). Ideally, radiation are among the subject of interest that research have identified potential in the field of medicine. Radioisotopes have played a vital role in the cure of various diseases and has contributed a lot in the advancement of technology. Consequently, researchers have gone ahead to sensitize the need to adopt on search expertise which are necessary in the field of medicine and others (2). The aim of this paper is to discuss various decay process of radioisotopes, uses in scientific research and medicine. Similarly, the paper will engage the readers in therapeutic and diagnostic uses of radioisotopes.
Radioisotopes are defined as the unstable combination of protons and neutrons or excess energy in an atom (3). Also, they are known as radioactive isotopes. In some cases, the radioisotopes occurs naturally in an unstable nucleus or as a result of altering the atom.as a result, the nuclear reactor are responsible in producing radioisotopes . Ideally, the nuclear reactor can be identifies as a best suit for producing neutron-rich radioisotopes. For instance, naturally occurring radioisotopes include uranium which can be less stable or more radioactive. There are various decay process that takes place within a parent nuclide such as alpha decay, beta decay, and gamma decay process (4). Alpha decay process takes place when the the emission of α particle from the nuclei occurs. The process takes place heavily on the nuclei when A > 200, Z > 83. As the process leads to loss of α particle, the daughter nuclides will have a mass number four units smaller (with atomic number two units) than the parent nuclide. On the other hand, Beta decay process takes place in a nucleus through emission of an electron such as iodine which undergoes Beta decay (2). Ideally, Beta decay involves conversion of a neutron into a proton and a Beta particle. The ratio which is observed in the process will have a nuclide with a large n: p ratio. Also, the Beta particles emitted is not from the nucleus surrounded by electrons but from atomic nucleus. Lastly, gamma decay process takes place when the nuclide is formed from an excited state thus decaying to its ground state through emission of a high energy electromagnetic radiation and γ ray. As a result, there is no change in atomic number or mass number during the decay process unless the γ emission accompanies different modes of decay (5).
Radioisotopes have become effective in the field of scientific research and medicine use. According to (6), scientific research have contributed a lot in radioactive elements to cure diseases and research on ideal interventions that are necessary to eliminate harmful cells in the human body or other research. In this case, radioisotopes have played an effective role in the diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals in the field of medicine. Every organ in the human body are differentiated with chemical point of view and failure to control and examine the organs, it may lead to fatal health complications (6). Ideally, chemists and doctors have identified variety of chemicals that are consumed or absorbed in the human body by special organs. Diagnostic radiopharmaceutical plays an essential role in examining flow of blood to the brain, assess of bone growth, functioning of lungs, liver or kidneys, and other diagnostic procedures (4). For instance, a radiopharmacist may examine the brain which consumes quantities of glucose and thyroid which takes up iodine. With the knowledge of the radiopharmacists, they will use various radioisotopes to attach biological active substances. Therefore, the substances which are incorporated in the body will change the normal biological process hence excretion may takes place in usual ways. Another use is to predict the effect of surgery or assess the change since the day of treatment for a given individual. Ideally, the radiation dose used in the diagnostic process is normally insignificant and the amount of radiopharmaceutical given to a patient is sufficient enough before the decay process. Moreover, medicine use of therapeutic radiopharmaceutical has shown much improvement I the destroying and weakening malfunctioning cells. This process takes place with radioisotopes which generates radiation and directed to the specific organs for diagnosis. Although radiotherapy is less common, it is nevertheless widespread an effective in the treatment sector (6). An ideal therapeutic radioisotopes is an example of beta emitter which is necessary for curing through gamma imaging during the treatment of cancer. The process has been proven ideal in particular liver cells, arthritis treatment non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In a recent experiment, uses of boron-10 was mainly emphasized in the tumor which irradiated neutrons that were strongly absorbed by the boron which was necessary to kill the cancer cells through production of high energy alpha particles. This boron neutron is more essential for therapy capture and controlling the increased spread of the cancer cells (5). Also, radioisotopes have played a vital role in the scientific research through metabolic studies. Research have employed basic process in their research to identify metabolism or iron in the body. The studies carried in this research have helped to evaluate the radioactive iron established in the blood’s hemoglobin and the importance of iron metabolism during pregnancy (4). Researchers have pointed out the ideal radioisotopes through their study in weightlessness in space travel which can affect the human body. The effects of radioisotopes affects the total body water, blood plasma volume, and muscle tissue, red cell mass, and extracellular fluid (5). As a result, the radioisotopes studies have improved on the field of radioimmunoassay concerning adult diabetic and circulating insulin. The Studies explained the presence of radioiodine labeled insulin which would react as a radioactive tag which makes it easier to discover or detect the presence of insulin in blood for the diabetic person than from nondiabetic people. The work had an impact to the recent studies of research since the plasma of patients which had injected with insulin was discovered that radioactive tagged insulin can be bound as an antibody (6).
In conclusion, radioisotopes have played a vital role in the medicine and scientific research to cure diseases and discovery of potential areas that are harmful to human life. The decay process being one of the ideal radioactive rays which emits specific rays, it has helped a lot in the elimination of cancerous disease. Therefore, radioisotopes should be sensitize as a more prolific invention which can be used in an efficient and reliable ways for the importance of human treatment and scientific research.

References
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