Production of Technetium-99m
Technetium-99m is a nuclear isomer of technetium-99. It is known as the most commonly used medical radioisotope because of its use in tens of millions of medical procedures annually.
Technetium-99m is produced by bombarding Molybdenum (98Mo) with neutrons. Molybdenum-99 is then produced. This then undergoes a Beta decay with a half life of 66 hours to produce Technetium. The production of Technetium-99m is then able to be permitted for medical purposes. Like all isotopes of Technetium, Technetium-99 isn't stable and finally ends up, following another Beta decay, as Ruthenium-99.
Technetium-99m was discovered in 1938 as a product of cyclotron bombardment of molybdenum. This procedure produced Molybdenum-99, a radionuclide with a half-life of 2.75 days, which decays to Technetium-99m. Technetium can also be produced in small quantities from cyclotrons and accelerators, in a cyclotron by bombarding a Molybdenum-100 target with a proton beam to produce Technetium-99m directly, or in a linear accelerator to generate Molybdenum-99 by bombarding a Molybdenum-100 target with high-energy X-rays.
Technetium-99m has gamma ray energy of about 140 keV which is convenient for detection.
Technetium generators, which contain the radioisotope, are supplied to hospitals from the nuclear reactor where the isotopes are made. They contain Molybdenum-99, with a half-life of 66 hours, which progressively decays to technetium-99. The Tc-99 is washed out of the lead pot by saline solution when it is required. After two weeks or less the generator is recharged.
Detection:
Technetium-99m when used as a radioactive tracer can be detected in the body by medical equipment such as gamma cameras. Because of its gamma decay it can be easily detected by a camera.
Technetium generators, which contain the radioisotope, are supplied to hospitals from the nuclear reactor where the isotopes are made. They contain Molybdenum-99, with a half-life of 66 hours, which progressively decays to technetium-99. The Tc-99 is washed out of the lead pot by saline solution when it is required. After two weeks or less the generator is recharged.
Detection:
Technetium-99m when used as a radioactive tracer can be detected in the body by medical equipment such as gamma cameras. Because of its gamma decay it can be easily detected by a camera.