How do radioactive isotopes affect human health?

How do radioactive isotopes affect human health?

Exposure to very high levels of radiation, such as being close to an atomic blast, can cause acute health effects such as skin burns and acute radiation syndrome (“radiation sickness”). It can also result in long-term health effects such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Are radioactive isotopes safe for medical use?

When used in carefully controlled medical applications, radioactive isotopes are safe and not nearly as scary as we first imagined. The radiation from these isotopes have a short half life and only give off low levels of radiation.

How long do radioactive isotopes stay in the body?

How long does the injection stay in my system? The nuclear imaging agent is out of your system within 60 hours, but it is always decaying so it becomes minimal in a relatively short period of time.

What are the side effects of radioactive medicine?

Treatment Areas and Possible Side Effects

• Fatigue.
• Hair loss.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Skin changes.
• Headache.
• Blurry vision.

How is radiation used in medicine?

Nuclear medicine procedures help detect and treat diseases by using a small amount of radioactive material, called a radiopharmaceutical. Some radiopharmaceuticals are used with imaging equipment to detect diseases. Radiopharmaceuticals can also be placed inside the body near a cancerous tumor to shrink or destroy it.

Is radioactive isotopes harmful?

Radioactive isotopes can be dangerous to living things. They can also cause damage to equipment such as electronics. Radioactive isotopes are not always dangerous, though. Some only give off tiny amounts of radiation.

Is radioactive injection harmful?

Yes, nuclear medicine procedures are very safe. We carefully select the radiotracer and radiation dose to ensure the minimum radiation exposure and maximum accuracy. You are exposed to about as much radiation in a nuclear medicine test as with a diagnostic X-ray.

Is radiation treatment painful?

Radiation does not hurt, sting, or burn when it enters the body. You will hear clicking or buzzing throughout the treatment and there may be a smell from the machine. Typically, people have treatment sessions 5 times per week, Monday through Friday.

Is radiation good or bad?

Although it can be destructive, radioactivity can also be beneficial, especially when it comes to medical tests and certain medical treatments. Not only can radiation find tumors within the body, it can also destroy them or slow their growth.