1. Radioisotopes
Gallium-67

2. What is a radioisotope? AKA radioactive isotope
Any several species of the same chemical element with different masses whose nuclei are unstable and dissolve excess energy by spontaneously emitting radiation in the form of alpha, beta, and gamma rays.

3. The name of the radioisotope
Gallium-67 (Gallium Citrate)

4. Description of the type of radiation it produces
Gamma-ray emitting nuclide
radioactivity called gamma rays
Half-life of 78 hours
Small pellet of radioactive material in a sealed titanium capsule is positioned on one side of the object being screened
Sheet of photographic film is placed on the other side
Gamma rays are beamed from radioactive source and pass through the object to create an image on the film
Gamma rays are detected by gammacamera
Gamma rays show flaws in metal casting or welded joints
Allows critical components to be inspected for internal defects without damaging component or making it radioactive

5. Explanation on how the radioisotope is used in medicine OR industry
Used in its citrate form as a tumour- and inflammation- localizing radiotracer
Used in the imaging of soft tissue tumours
A diagnostic radiopharmaceutical which emits a small amount of energy similar to an X-ray, which can be detected with a special camera called a “gamma camera”
Called a ‘gallium scan’
Technician injects a radioactive material called gallium into a vein
Gallium travels through bloodstream and collects in the bones and certain organs. It will naturally concentrate in areas where there is inflammation or where white blood cells have collected
A 2nd scan taken hours after the gallium is injected
Special camera detects where the gallium has gathered in the body
Scan takes 30 – 60 mins
Gallium detected outside normal areas can be a sign of: infection, inflammation, tumours, including Hodgkin’s disease or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

6. Description of the benefits of using this radioisotope
In the skeletal system, it complements the 99cm Tc-phosphate compounds in differentiating periatricular osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, and cellulitis.
Particularly useful in documenting successful treatment of bone infection because the phosphate scan remains positive for much longer periods of time
In a variety of chest disorders gallium uptake has been found to correlate well with the active inflammatory state
Excelling tumour screening and imaging agent
Energy works with all nuclear medicine SPECT (Single Photon computerized Tomography) cameras
Concentrates at the site of inflammation
Lower cost in relation to Fluorine-18 FDG (PET)

7. Description of the problems of using this radioisotope
Small risk that the gamma rays may affect an unborn child
Rarely, some people have an allergic reaction to the injected chemical

8. Justification for its use: How do the benefits of using this radioisotope outweigh the problems associated?

9. Bibliography
14/08/12
15/08/12
16/08/12