Why is it important that radioisotopes used as diagnostic tools in nuclear medicine produce gamma radiation when they decay? Why are alpha emitters not used as diagnostic tools?

Video transcript

Welcome back everyone in this example, we need to determine which radioisotope should be selected as a diagnostic tool in nuclear medicine. Either gamma emitters or alpha emitters and we need to list why. So focusing on our first particle, we have gamma emitters represented by this simple here. So we have gamma rays and we want to recall that gamma rays are capable of penetrating radiation known as ionizing radiation. And when we have gamma rays introduced to our bodies, these gamma ray decay particles can easily escape the body. Now we're comparing this to our alpha race, which we recall is represented by this symbol, and we're going to also recognize that alpha rays are also capable of ionizing radiation. However, our decay particles of alpha rays can become trapped in the body. So we'll say the K particles can become trapped and when this happens this can lead to the ionization of water in our body and this produces free radicals that can change our cell structures and disrupt processes within our body. So we'll say free radicals disrupt cells and processes. So going back to our answer choices, we need to determine the diagnostic tool in nuclear medicine that can emit rays that will easily leave our body without disrupting processes. And so looking at our answer choices, we can confirm that choice A which reads gamma emitters as the radio isotope of choice where gamma rays can easily leave the body do minimal damage is possible and alpha rays which are ionizing, do not easily pass through the body would be the only correct choice to complete this example because it's the correct description of each of these particles here and defines gamma emitters as the less harsh radioisotope for usefulness in nuclear medicine. So again, although these two types of radioisotopes, gamma rays and alpha rays can penetrate our bodies, gamma rays do so in a less harsh, harsh fashion and easily can escape from our body. So choice A is our final correct choice to complete this example. I hope everything I reviewed was clear. If you have any questions, lead them down below and I will see everyone in the next practice video.