How Medical Isotopes are Revolutionizing the Field of Medicine

Isotopes are indistinct nuclear species having the same chemical element and a medical isotope is an isotope used in medicine. The first use of medical isotopes was in Radiopharmaceuticals and is still the most common use of all. Over the years, the application of isotopes has revolutionized the field of medicine in various ways. Remarkable diagnostics and therapeutic capabilities. The wide application of medical isotopes has surged the medical isotopes market and it is expected to be valued $11,397.9 million by 2032.

Medical isotopes have contributed to medicine in many ways. Some of these are:

Diagnostics Imaging:

Medical isotopes play a crucial role in modern healthcare by enabling accurate imaging diagnostics and effective treatments for various medical conditions. These isotopes are used in procedures such as PET scans, SPECT scans, and radiotherapy, allowing doctors to visualize and target specific areas within the body with precision. Here are few applications of medical isotopes:

• Nuclear medicine employs radioisotopes to provide detailed information about the functioning of specific organs in the body. Physicians use this data for quick diagnosis. According to an article published in the Advancing Nuclear Medicine, around 48 million people are diagnosed or treated with nuclear medicines. Over 30,000 people worldwide are helped with medical isotopes produced in the High Flux Reactor (HFR).
• Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) is the most common radioisotope, used in about 40 million procedures annually worldwide. It accounts for 80% of all nuclear medicine procedures and 85% of diagnostic scans. According to a paper published in the National Library of Medicine by Steven M. Kane, Inderbir S. Padda and D. Davis, it is FDA approved for diagnostic imaging of the thyroid, bone, lungs, brain, gall bladder, kidneys, heart, liver, spleen, bone marrow, sentinel nodes, blood pool, salivary, and lachrymal glands.
• Dual PET/CT procedures (positron emission tomography with computerized tomography) have also become established, enhancing the role of accelerators in radioisotope production. By facilitating precise localization and characterization of abnormalities, dual PET/CT procedures have revolutionized diagnostic imaging, particularly in oncology and neurology applications.

Therapeutic Applications:

Medical isotopes play a crucial role in therapeutic applications, particularly in cancer treatment, where radiation therapy targets and destroys cancer cells. Here are a few examples:

• Brachytherapy: Internal radiation therapy, also known as brachytherapy, is carried out by applying a small radiation source, a gamma or beta emitter in the targeted area.
• Teletheraphy: Radioisotopes are used to treat specific medical conditions, especially cancer. External radiation therapy, or teletherapy weakens or destroys them by targeting particular cells. However, the main challenge of this therapy is that even the healthy tissues may be damaged. Research and development endeavors are underway to advance personalized treatments with the goal of reducing harm for individuals receiving medical care.
• Theranostics: It is an innovative approach, which combines diagnostics and therapeutics. This cutting-edge approach, particularly prominent in nuclear medicine, enables precise disease diagnosis alongside targeted therapeutic interventions, promising improved outcomes and minimized side effects.
• Radionuclide Therapy: In this therapy, specialized medical isotopes are used to selectively target cancer cells by binding to tumor sites and their metastases within the body.

Sterilization:

The use of medical isotopes has also brought great advantages in sterilization of healthcare products. Medical products can be sterilized by gamma rays from a Co-60 source, a process that is way cheaper and more effective than steam heating sterilization. Many countries have large-scale gamma sterilization installed. Smaller gamma irradiators, utilizing Cs-137 are used for treating blood for transfusions. A disposable syringe is an example of product sterilization by gamma rays. Since sterilization after packaging, the shelf life remains indefinite unless the seal is broken. Half the global supply of single-use medical products, for example, cotton wool, burn dressings, heart valves, surgical gloves, bandages, and surgical instruments, is done through this process.

Endnote

The major isotope suppliers of the world including Curium, MDS Nordion, IRE, JSC Isotope, and ANM have contributed to the widespread adoption and availability of medical isotopes around the globe. In developed countries about one in fifty persons uses nuclear diagnostics, and one tenth in therapy. The routine use of isotopes in the field of medicine has led to a safer and more productive of numerous medical conditions. As a result, numerous patients worldwide have experienced improved health and quality life. Contact our esteemed analysts to gain deeper insights and analysis of the medical isotopes market.

About the Author(s)

     

Pooja Parvatkar

Pooja is an accomplished Editor with almost 6 years of experience in editing and a Master’s degree in analytical chemistry from the Mumbai University. She started off as an academic editor in one of India’s first and largest language solution provider companies. Post her rewarding tenure there, she further went on to pursue the role of a content development editor with a UK-based publishing house and worked in proximity with some of the IT biggies from around the world and published 8 books in a span of 10 months. Pooja currently handles the content and editing team at a market research company in Pune, India. Apart from her career in editing, she has been a professional dancer and specializes in Jive, Salsa, Waltz, Bollywood, Indian Folk, Belly Dancing, Dancersize, and Semiclassical.