Radiopharmaceutical: Uses, Production, and Effects

Radiopharmaceutical

Table of Contents
1.1 a)............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 b)............................................................................................................................................1
1.2 a)............................................................................................................................................1
1.2 b)............................................................................................................................................1
1.3 a)............................................................................................................................................1
2.1 a)............................................................................................................................................2
2.1 b)............................................................................................................................................2
2.1 c)............................................................................................................................................2
2.2 a)............................................................................................................................................3
2.3 a)............................................................................................................................................3
2.3 b)............................................................................................................................................3
3.1 a)............................................................................................................................................4
3. 1 b)...........................................................................................................................................4
3.2 a)............................................................................................................................................4
3.3 a)............................................................................................................................................5
3.3 b)............................................................................................................................................5
3.3 c)............................................................................................................................................5
3.3 d)............................................................................................................................................5
3.3 e)............................................................................................................................................5
3.3 f).............................................................................................................................................5

1.1 a)
Radioisotope is defined as an atom in which the combination of neutrons and protons is
unstable or the energy in the nucleus is resent in excess. These can happen to occur either
naturally or after the occurrence of an artificial alteration in the atom.
1.1 b)
These are defined as radioactive medications which find their use in the diagnosis as well
as treatment of cancer. Radiopharmaceuticals can be administered to the patients in oral form as
well as intravenously. These can also be delivered interstitially.
1.2 a)
The production of radioisotope in reactors takes place on the basis of capture of neutron n
a target material. The fission of the target material on bombarding them with thermal neurons
then leads to the generation of radioisotopes. Beta decay is a characteristic feature of many of the
radio isotopes. it is for this reason that in a nuclear reactor, there is direct production of
radioisotopes. This is because, when the target nuclide captures the neutron, there is formation of
a radioactive or unstable product. Decay of this radioactive product takes place by beta emission.
1.2 b)
A cyclotron can be regarded as a particle accelerator which is in a compact form. It
produces radio isotopes which further find their application in imaging procedures. The
cyclotron ejects a beam of protons or charged particles in a circular path repeatedly. The non-
radioactive materials, also known as stable isotopes, lead to the formation of medical
radioisotopes when they are bombarded by protons. When there is an interaction between the
proton beam and stable isotopes, a nuclear reaction occurs. This reaction leads to the conversion
of the stable isotopes into radioactive isotopes or radioisotopes
1.3 a)
There is instability in the nuclei of radioisotopes. These nuclei undergo random
disintegration and lead to production of atoms of different elements. During this, they lead to the
emission of energetic subatomic particles. These are known as Alpha and Beta particles.
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