Rubidium-82

Rubidium-82 is a radioactive isotope of rubidium used in medical imaging. It is produced by the decay of strontium-82 and is used in positron emission tomography (PET) scans to assess blood flow in the heart.

Production

Rubidium-82 is produced by the decay of strontium-82. The strontium-82 is housed in a strontium-rubidium generator and as it decays, it produces rubidium-82. This generator can be used for up to 28 days to produce rubidium-82 for medical imaging.

Use in Medical Imaging

Rubidium-82 is used in positron emission tomography (PET) scans to assess blood flow in the heart. It is administered to the patient through an intravenous (IV) line and travels through the bloodstream to the heart. The radioactive decay of the rubidium-82 produces positrons which interact with electrons in the body to produce gamma rays. These gamma rays are detected by the PET scanner and used to create images of the heart.

Safety

As a radioactive isotope, rubidium-82 does carry some risks. However, the amount used in medical imaging is small and the benefits of the imaging generally outweigh the risks. Patients are exposed to a small amount of radiation during the scan, but this exposure is comparable to that of other medical imaging procedures.

See Also

• Radioactive isotope
• Strontium-82
• Positron emission tomography
• Medical imaging

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