CHEM120 Week 6 Discussion: Radiation – Radioisotope Tc-99m (Option 1)

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Initial Post Instructions The Discussions in this course are set up deepen your understanding of the material as you make real world connections and employ creative thinking. To get the most from the... se discussions, full engagement is expected on the part of the student. Be sure to stop by the discussion section frequently, not only to post, but to read the postings of your peers and instructor. Engaging with your peers and learning together is key to this experience. For your initial post, choose one of the options below: Option 1: While we often think of radiation as dangerous, radioactive isotopes are widely used in the field of healthcare as well as in many other fields. For your initial post, choose a radioactive isotope used in healthcare or another field and report on how your isotope is used. Be sure to answer both of the following questions as part of your initial post: a. What type(s) of radioactive decay does your isotope undergo? b. How is your isotope used? Use at least one outside source and cite in APA format. Option 2: Radiation comes in many different forms. We are exposed to many types of radiation each day, not only form the technology that surrounds us, but also from natural sources. Choose a source of radiation that a peer has not already chosen and discuss each of the following as part of your initial post: a. Is the radiation ionizing or nonionizing? b. Is the radiation released from this source expected to be dangerous? Why or why not? c. Is this source of radiation natural or artificial? d. Are there any applications for this type of radiation? Use at least one outside source and cite in APA format. Follow-Up Post Instructions Respond to at least two peers or one peer and the instructor. Further the dialogue by providing more information and clarification. Possible follow-up topics: 1. If a peer has posted a source of radiation that is considered dangerous, respond with ways to protect yourself from this source of radiation. 2. Respond to a student that has posted on topic one and discuss how users of that radioactive isotope protect themselves. 3. Is tanning worth the risk? 4. Have you ever had an issue with radon in your home? A commonly used radioisotope in medicine is Tc-99m (Technetium-99m) and is an energetic isomer of technetium-99. “The m stands for “metastable,” which means that it decays to a more stable form of the same isotope” Technetium-99m decays to technetium-99 with the emission of gamma rays. The symbol for it is 99mTc. It is used in almost 80% of all nuclear medicine procedures and has a half-life and does not remain in the body or environment for long periods of time in comparison to other radioisotopes. “Tc-99m is especially useful for nuclear medicine procedures because it can be chemically incorporated into small molecule ligands and proteins that concentrate in specific organs or tissues when injected into the body” (Medical Isotope Production, 2009, p. 1). Technetium-99m can be used via the injection route to view various parts of the body in search of disease and infection. References Bauer, R., Birk, J., & Marks, P., (2019). Introduction to Chemistry. New York, McGraw-Hill Education. Medical Isotope Production without Highly Enriched Uranium. (2009). NIH.gov. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215133/ [Show More]

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