Molybdenum-99 Produced In U.S. For The First Time In 30 Years
When you think of life-saving elements used in medicine, you probably don't immediately think of molybdenum-99. Molybdenum-99 is a radioactive isotope (also known as a radioisotope), making it extremely valuable and useful in medical imaging.
Radioisotopes circulate through the body's systems easily and leave trace amounts of radiation in their wake, allowing doctors to examine blood flow to specific organs and assess organ function or bone growth. They are incredibly beneficial in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer:
"In radiation therapy for cancer, the patient’s tumor is bombarded with ionizing radiation, typically in the form of beams of subatomic particles, such as protons, neutrons, or alpha or beta particles, which directly disrupt the atomic or molecular structure of th...