Clean-room preparation of (inactive) columns for technetium-99m (Tc-99m) isotope generators, used as a source of radioactive tracers for gamma ray sci

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Clean-room preparation of (inactive) columns for technetium-99m (Tc-99m) isotope generators, used as a source of radioactive tracers for gamma ray scintigraphy in hospital nuclear medicine departments. Tc-99m is short lived (its radioactive decay rate, or half-life, is 6 hours), so a generator containing its longer-lived parent isotope, molybdenum-99 (a fission product of a nuclear reactor) is provided as a continuous, yet short-term source. Here at Amersham International, the columns of Amertec II generators contain alumina, onto which the molybdenum-99 is adsorbed & retained. Tc-99m is simply washed out using saline when required for a gamma camera scan.

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Size: 5047px × 3484px
Photo credit: © DAVID PARKER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: amersham, amertec, clean, clothing, energy, generator, handle, handling, ii, industry, international, isotope, medicine, nuclear, processing, protective, radioactive, radioactivity, room, tc-99m, technetium, technology