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= Isotopes in medicine =

A medical isotope is an isotope used in medicine.

The first uses of isotopes in medicine were in radiopharmaceuticals, and this is still the most common use. However more recently, separated stable isotopes have also come into use.

Examples of non-radioactive medical isotopes are:


 * Deuterium in deuterated drugs
 * Carbon-13 used in liver function and metabolic tests

Isotopes used for radiotherapy
Radioactive isotopes are used in medicine for both treatment and diagnostic scans. The most common isotope used in diagnostic scans is Tc-99m (Technetium-99m), being the isotope of choice in approximately 85% of them. It is used for diagnosing medical conditions such as cancer and neurological disease, and can be used for diagnosis scans in a wide range of body parts and organs. Another well-known radioactive isotope used in medicine is I-131 (Iodine-131), used as a radioactive label for some radiopharmaceutical therapies or for the treatment of some types of thyroid cancer. Some radioisotopes are used for palliative care, an example of this being Sr-89 (Strontium-89) which is used to relieve bone pain due to cancer.