UNIT -V
RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS
POINTS TO BE COVERED IN THISTOPIC
RADIOACTIVITY
MEASUREMENT OF RADIOACTIVITY
PROPERTIES OF a, B, y RADIATIONS
HALF LIFE
RADIOISOTOPES AND STUDY OF RADIO
ISOTOPES,SODIUM IODIDE
STORAGE CONDITIONS, PRECAUTIONS
AND PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATION
OF RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES
RADIO ACTIVITY
The phenomenon of spontaneous emission of P
certain kind of invisible radiation by certain
substance is called radioactivity. Electric
The substances which emit such radiation is Nuclear
called radioactive substance.
Radiopharmaceuticals are used in medicines. It is used to treat
cancerous tumors, to diagnose thyroid disorders and other metabolic
disorders including brain function.
MEASUREMENT OF RADIOACTIVITY
To measure the radiations of alpha, beta and gamma rays many
techniques involving detection and counting of individual particles or
photons have been available.
º JONISATION CHAMBER
An ionization chamber consistsof chamber filled with gas and fitted
with two electrodes kept at different electrical potentials and a
measuring device toindicate the flow of electric current.
The fillgas can be Ar, He, air etc.
lonization Chambers
Radiation
Meter
Charging Gas
> PROPORTIONAL CONTER
" If the electric field gradient Gas mixture HV
between the anode and cathode is Anode
Cathodewire Readout
electronics
increased by increasing the applied
voltage, the electronsproduced in
the primary ionization further T
Insulation
ionize the gas molecule e.g. the Gas outlet Gas inlet
number of ion pair is multiplied.
For each primary electron liberated , a large number of additional
electrons are liberated, the current pulse through electrical current is
greatly amplified.
certainoriginal number of ion pairs.
Proportional counters operate in this voltage region.
They are usually operated in pulse mode and are used in the form of gas
filled or gas flow counters for a, b and fission frequent counting.
GEGIER- MULLER CONTER
" It is one of the oldest radiation detector Cathode
types in existence, having been introduced by Window Input
Geiger and muller in 1928.
They can detect a, B, y radiations. Radleton
It consist of a cylinder made up of stainless Countor Resistor
Voltage
Source
steel or glass coated with silver on the inr
side which acts as cathode.
Coaxially inside the tube a mounted fine
were worksan as anode.
" It is having the mixture of ionizing gas which contain a small
proportion quenching vapour.
The function of quenching vapour are -
i. To prevent the false pulse.
ii. To absorbs the photons emitted by excited atoms molecule
returning to their ground state.
Radiation when entersthe tube through a thin section of outer wall
causes ionization atoms of the gas.
When a high voltage is maintained between two electrodes, the
electrons and charged ions are attracted by the anode and cathode
respectively.
Each particle of radiation produces a brief flow or pulse of current
which can be recorded by a scalar.
PROPERTIES OF a, B, y RADIATIONS
a Rays
" These rays or particles are positively charged.
" It consists of two unit positive charge and has a mass which is nearly
four times that of hydrogen atom.
These are heavy, slow moving and their penetration power is slow.
"These rays ionize the gas through which they pass.
During the emission of a-particle from a radioactive element, atomic
number decreases by 2 unit and mass number decrease by 4 units.
º B- rays
These rays or particles are negatively charged.
They have negligible mass.
" These are having smaller mass, higher speed and thus ß particle are
much more penetrating than a particle.
" They have lower ionizing power than - rays
During the emission of Bparticle from aradioactive element, atomic
number increases by 1 unit and there is no change in mass number.
Y-ravS
These rays are neutral i.e. do not carrying charge.
" The particle of these rays has negligible mass.
" As they do not have any mass, their ionizing power is also very poor.
" They are not affected by magnetic field and are having the speed of
light.
ossten
negy c t s
Deta
Rays
oiem
Rays
X
Neutron n
Rays ouksatics
per Tht
Aheainm Thhek Led Water or Comcrete
Stops a ays Stops Brays Stops y, X rays Stops neutron
rays
HALF LIFE
Radioactive isotopes or nuclides continue to decay for a particular
period of time.
The half - life is used to designate the time required for onehalf of atoms
originally present to complete their emission of radiation.
Half-life is defined as the time in which the amount of radionuclide
decays to half its initial value.
Itcan be calculated by formula
0.693
t1/2 =
Half - life of various radioactive elements varies as 134| has 8 days 65Zn
has 150 days,Na has 2 - 6 days, while 238r has 4.5 x 10* days
RADIO ISOTOPES AND STUDY OF RADIO ISOTOPES
Atoms of an element which have the same atomic number but have
different mass number are called isotopes.
APPLICATION OF RADIOISOTOPES
V Medicine - Diagnostics and treatment of diseases, sterilization of
surgical and clinical products, etc.
Industries and terminology - In construction, materials and welding
will be reviewed, control production processes, and conduct
research.
Art - Restoring art objects, establishing historical or artistic objects,
etc.
Research - Sciences such as astronomy, engineering, and medicine.
Agriculture - Food conservation, eradication of plague, etc.
V Pharmacology - Prior to being approved for use by the public, drugs
are studied for their metabolism.
Archaeology -determining the age of geological events, etc.
> STUDY OF RADIOISOTOPES SODIUM JODIDE I,31
" The treatment of thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism is among the
most common uses of sodium iodide I31:
" A radioactive anti-thyroid drug falls under the category of
propylthiouracil (PTU) and methimazole (Tapazole), but it is not
prescribed by doctors unlike other anti-thyroid medications.
Several sodium iodide compounds, including lË31, readily absorb
through the mouth and become trapped inside the thyroid gland.
The thyroid gland is damaged by the irradiation caused by trapped
sodium iodide I,31
" In turn, this results in a reduction in thyroid gland activity, which
reduces thyroid hormone production.
By excreting sodium iodide, I,31 through the urine, the kidneys rid the
body of excess sodium iodide.
Within several weeks, most of the sodium iodide absorbed by the body
islost.
This radioactivity is half-life after eight days.
STORAGE, HANDLING AND PRECAUTIONS OF
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Acare should be taken to protect and personal from harmful radiation
during handling andstorage of radioactive materialsemits.
" The following precautions are taken while working with radiodetectors,
radio assay, traces experiments, manufacturing or handling of
radioactive materials.
1. These materials should be handled with forceps or suitable instruments
and direct contact should be avoided.
2. Any substance which is taken internally (foods , drinks, smokes etc.)
should not be carried in laboratory where radioactive materials are
used.
3. Sufficient protective clothing or shielding must be used while handling
the materials.
4. Radioactive materials should be kept in suitable labelled containers
shield by lead bricks any preferably in remote corner.
5. Areas where radioactive materials are used or stored should be
monitored constantly.
6. The final disposed of radioactive material should be done with great
care toanimals and environment.
