Medical applications of radio isotopes can be divided into two parts:
1. Diagnosis
2. Therapy
Radio isotopes are used as tracers to diagnose the nature of circulatory disorders of blood, defects of bone metabolism, to locate tumors, etc.,
Some of the radio isotopes which are used as tracers are:
hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, etc.
1. Radio-sodium (Na24) is used for the effective functioning of heart.
2. Radio-Iodine (I131) is used to cure goiter.
3. Radio-iron is (Fe59) is used to diagnose anaemia and also to provide treatment for the same.
4. Radio-phosphorous (P32) is used in the treatment of skin diseases.
5. Radio-cobalt (Co60) and
6. Radio-gold (Au198) are used in the treatment of skin cancer.
7. Radiations are used to sterilize the surgical devices as they can kill the germs and microbes.
