What are the main uses of cobalt-60?
Cobalt-60 is used as a radiation source in many common industrial applications, such as in leveling devices and thickness gauges. It is also used for radiation therapy in hospitals. Accidental exposures may occur as the result of loss or improper disposal of medical and industrial radiation sources.
Why is cobalt-60 commonly used in radiation therapy?
Cobalt-60 (60Co) and caesium-137 (137Cs) are the most widely used sources of gamma radiation. Co produces gamma rays with energies of 1.173 and 1.332 MeV and has a half-life of 5.27 years, whereas 137Cs produces gamma rays with an energy of 0.662 MeV and has a longer half-life of 30.1 years.
Who made cancer treatment using cobalt-60?
In 1951, University of Saskatchewan medical physicist Dr. Harold Johns and his graduate students became the first researchers in the world to successfully treat a cancer patient using cobalt-60 radiation therapy.
Which isotope is used for diagnosis of tumors in body?
Radioisotope scan to detect tumors. Technetium-99m is perhaps the most widely used radioisotope in diagnosis and treatment (the “m” stands for metastable). This isotope decays to Tc-99 and a gamma emission of low intensity, making the radiation damage fairly negligible.
What is cobalt used for in medicine?
cobalt-60, radioactive isotope of cobalt used in industry and medicine. Cobalt-60 is used in the inspection of materials to reveal internal structure, flaws, or foreign objects and in the sterilization of food. In medicine, it is used to treat cancer and to sterilize medical equipment.
Why is Cobalt-60 used to sterilize medical equipment?
Cold Process Sterilization The reason why Cobalt-60 is the most suitable for radiation processing is because of the relatively high energy of their gamma rays and fairly long half-life which is 5.27 years.
Why is Cobalt-60 no longer used?
Since cobalt-60 has a short half-life, there is no significant presence of the isotope in the general environment at this time. Exposures have occurred as a result of improper disposal of medical radiation sources and the accidental melting of cobalt-60 sources by metal recycling facilities.
Why is cobalt-60 no longer used?
What isotope is used in radiotherapy?
Interstitial radiotherapy (brachytherapy) The isotopes most commonly used in IRT are iridium-192 or iodine-125. Iridium (half-life 74 days), usually in the form of a wire, is used as a removable source.
Which isotopes are used for radiation chemotherapy?
Types of radioisotope therapy
- Iodine-131. This is the most common type of radioisotope therapy.
- Strontium-89 and Samarium-153. These radioisotopes can be used to treat some types of cancer that have spread to the bones (metastatic bone cancer).
- Radium-223.
Why is Cobalt 60 no longer used?
What problem does cobalt 60 solve?
Cobalt-60 is used in the inspection of materials to reveal internal structure, flaws, or foreign objects and in the sterilization of food. In medicine, it is used to treat cancer and to sterilize medical equipment.