According to the World Nuclear organization,more than 10000 hospitals worldwide use radioisotopes in medicine. Molybdenum-99, the parent isotope of technetium-99m, or is the most widely used radioisotope for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However,production costs and the limited viability of the isotope can be a challenge for clinicians and healthcare providers. Now, nuclear researchers at the University of Missouri are exploring alternate materials that could be used to succor recycle the metals used to produce radioisotopes more efficiently and with less waste. Scientists believe this cheaper method could result in a cost savings for healthcare providers who could pass those savings on to patients.
Source: phys.org