Technetium-99m
Technetium-99m
Technetium-99m (pronounced tek-NEE-shee-uhm 99m) is a radioisotope of technetium used in various medical imaging procedures. It is symbolized as Tc-99m.
Etymology
The name "Technetium" comes from the Greek word "τεχνητός" (tekhnētos), meaning "artificial", as it was the first element to be artificially produced. The "m" in Tc-99m stands for "metastable", indicating a state of excited energy that decays to a stable condition.
Usage
Tc-99m is used in nuclear medicine for a wide variety of diagnostic tests. Tc-99m emits low energy gamma radiation, which can be detected by a gamma camera. This allows doctors to capture images of the inside of the patient's body. It is used in procedures such as bone scans, heart scans, lung scans, and many others.
Production
Tc-99m is produced from its parent isotope, molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), through a process called radioactive decay. Mo-99 decays to Tc-99m, which is then extracted and used in medical procedures.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Technetium-99m
- Wikipedia's article - Technetium-99m
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