Nuclear medicine injects radioisotopes into the body to diagnose organ function. Radioisotopes with short half lives are used so they completely degrade quickly leaving harmless chemicals behind in the body. Check the TWO isotopes are most likely to be used in nuclear medicine.

Yttrium-90 has a half life of 7.3 x 10^ - 3 years

Uranium 238 has a half life of 4.5 x 10^6 years

iodine-131 has a half life of 2.2 x 10^ - 2 years

Plutonium - 239 has a half life of 2.4 x 10^4 years

Cobalt-60 has a half life of 5 years

Question

Chemistry

Karson Ochoa

1 April, 11:33

Nuclear medicine injects radioisotopes into the body to diagnose organ function. Radioisotopes with short half lives are used so they completely degrade quickly leaving harmless chemicals behind in the body. Check the TWO isotopes are most likely to be used in nuclear medicine.

Yttrium-90 has a half life of 7.3 x 10^ - 3 years

Uranium 238 has a half life of 4.5 x 10^6 years

iodine-131 has a half life of 2.2 x 10^ - 2 years

Plutonium - 239 has a half life of 2.4 x 10^4 years

Cobalt-60 has a half life of 5 years

+3

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Kaleigh Best · Answer 1

Yttrium-90 and Iodine-131

Explanation:

These two half lives of less than a year. Hence they are easily degraded. The other isotopes have long half lives and will remain in the body for many years which is ultimately detrimental to health. Hence the two isotopes stated in the answer are more likely to be see in medicine.