Medicine

Wear studies

Moderately long-lived radio-isotopes are a good tracer of things. Injected into fluids, these tracers can be used to monitor the path, flow, and blockage of the liquids. Another use of these isotopes is to implant them into the upper layers of a surface. As the surface wears away, the radioactive atoms are also removed and precise measurements of this removal process is possible. We are engaged in a proof-of-principle experiment (RIB-159) for such measurements on materials used in joint replacement. The radio-isotope used for these measurements is ⁷Be which has a half-life of 53.22 days.

Isotope Production

Accelerators have long been used as a producer of short-lived radio-isotopes for use in medicine. Able to generate the isotopes quickly, accelerators capable of producing intense beams, have been positioned near hospitals and/or airports ensuring quick delivery of short-lived isotopes. Currently we have no plans for isotope production although if a new electron accelerator is funded, we may be in a better position to enter this field.

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This file last modified Monday February 04, 2008