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Title:
APPLICATIONS OF RECENT ADVANCES IN NUCLEAR PHYSICS TO MEDICINE ( REPRINTED FROM THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGY, VOL. XIX, NO. 228 ) (PARTIAL)
Author(s):
MITCHELL, J S [UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, VETERINARY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE]
Subject Terms:
HREX
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Document Type:
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Publication Date:
1946 Dec 31
Declassification Status:
Never classified
Document Pages:
0007
Accession Number:
NV0702363
OpenNet Entry Date:
1994 Aug 27
OpenNet Modified Date:
2017 Dec 21
Description/Abstract:
THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT IS TO DISCUSS THE USE OF RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES IN THE APPLICATION OF MEDICINE. THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE PRESENT POSITION WITH REGARD TO THE PREPARATION OF RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF INTEREST IN MEDICINE BY MEANS OF THE NEW MACHINE USUALLY CALLED THE "PILE," AND IN ADDITION ATTEMPTS TO ASSESS THE RELATIVE VALUES OF THE PILE AND THE CYCLOTRON FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE MEDICAL APPLICATIONS. THE PILE WILL PRODUCE THE MAJORITY OF THE RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES OF INTEREST FOR TRACER INVESTIGATIONS IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY. THE PILE IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF LARGE QUANTITIES OF GAMMA-RAY SOURCES OF REASONABLY LONG LIFE, AS SUBSTITUTES FOR RADIUM FOR USE IN RADIOTHERAPY. THE BEST SUBSTITUTE FOR RADIUM MADE IN THE PILE APPEARS TO BE RADIO-COBALT. THE SECOND CHOICE IS RADIO-TANTALUM. IN GENERAL, FOR THE PREPARATION OF ISOTOPES, THE YIELDS WITH THE CYCLOTRON ARE VERY MUCH SMALLER THAN THOSE WITH THE PILE. HOWEVER, THE CYCLOTRON IS AN ESSENTIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE PILE IN ORDER TO PRODUCE: (A) ALTERNATIVE ISOTOPES OF A GIVEN ELEMENT, (B) HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF ACTIVITY AND, (C) AND SHORT-LIVED ISOTOPES. THE PILE IS NOT A SATISFACTORY SOURCE OF FAST NEUTRONS FOR PRACTICAL RADIOTHERAPY.