Radionuclides & Radiation : Tools for Betterment of
Humankind Meera Venkatesh Radiopharmaceuticals Division Bhabha
Atomic Research Centre Slide 2 15 th July 06 Slide 3 Radionuclides
What are they? Unstable nuclides of elements Emission of energetic
rays in the process of becoming a different, more stable nuclide
Radioactive rays Slide 4 15 th July 06 Radionuclides - Properties
Emission of Radiation alpha ( ), beta ( ) : particulates gamma ( )
: non-particulate energetic; varying energies Transient -
non-permanent concept of half life; varying half-lives Slide 5 15
th July 06 Radiations : , , energetic interact with matter to
deposit the energy the radiations are easily measurable at very low
amounts - high sensitivity the material may alter and its
properties may change e.g. polymerisation the radiation will
attenuate after interacting with the material e.g. its energy
reduces, intensity reduces Slide 6 15 th July 06 Some Areas of
Impact Medical diagnostic, therapeutic, sterilization Agriculture
food preservation, tracers, mutation Industry & Hydrology
radiography, tracers, gauging, radiation processing Research
tracers... Slide 7 15 th July 06 Radioisotope/Radiation
Applications : Basis Easy detectability : Tracers Alterations in
the material on irradiation Attenuation in the radiation itself
Slide 8 15 th July 06 Easy detectability of radiation Tracer
applications - Medical Diagnostic in-vivo Nuclear Medicine; static
imaging of organs; dynamic imaging of organs; understanding the
functioning of vital organs; delineation of tumours etc.etc.
Diagnostic in-vitro radiometric kits hormones/drugs/antigens
measurement in biological samples Slide 9 15 th July 06 Tracer
applications - industries, water management trouble shooting;
hydrology applications; process development/optimisation,
monitoring industrial reactions etc. Tracer applications -
laboratory & agricultural tracers; process understanding;
optimisation of manure/ pesticide; fate of the used
manure/pesticide etc. Slide 10 15 th July 06 Easy detectability :
Tracers Alterations in the material on irradiation Attenuation in
the radiation itself Radioisotope/Radiation Applications : Basis
Slide 11 15 th July 06 Alterations in the material damage to living
cells, death of living organisms - fungi, bacteria, cancer cell..
polymerisation of monomers creation of defects in materials -
crystal structure breaking of very tough materials Slide 12 15 th
July 06 Damage to living cells Fungi, bacteria.. ; food
preservation by irradiation; sterilization of medical products by
gamma irradiation; blood irradiation cancer cells ; teletherapy,
brachytherapy, in- vivo therapy - radiopharmaceuticals, loco-
regional therapy Slide 13 15 th July 06 polymerisation of monomers;
radiation processing of wires, cables, O rings etc. breaking of
very tough materials degradation of polymers, teflon etc. creation
of defects in crystal structure colouration of diamonds Slide 14 15
th July 06 Easy detectability : Tracers Alterations in the material
on irradiation Attenuation in the radiation itself
Radioisotope/Radiation Applications : Basis Slide 15 15 th July 06
Attenuation in the radiation intensity decrease information about
the material - uniformity, thickness, defects etc. Gamma
radiography ; status of/defects in materials Nucleonic gauges;
thickness, level measurements Slide 16 15 th July 06 Which
radionuclides or radiations? Selection Criteria Emission properties
type of radiation, energy Half life Chemistry Feasibility Cost
Slide 17 15 th July 06 Medical use of Radiation & Radioisotopes
DiagnosticTherapeutic Polymerized products : hydrogel, drug
delivery systems Brachytherapy Teletherapy In-vivo
Radiopharmaceuticals In-vitro radiometric assays Radiation
processing Sterilization, Blood Irradiation Gamma knife Slide 18 15
th July 06 Radiopharmaceuticals Molecules containing Radioactivity
used in Medicine - for Diagnosis & Therapy Diagnostic Products
In-vivo injectibles oral In-vitro Radiometric assays Therapeutic
Products In-vivo injectibles oral Sealed Sources Brachy Therapy
Topical Applications Slide 19 15 th July 06 Diagnostic
Radiopharmaceuticals In-Vitro : in-glass or outside the body
Radiometric Assays (RIAs & IRMAs) Nobel prize winning
technology (Dr Yalow-1976) Very useful tool in diagnosing diseases
related to hormones; indispensable in pathology labs More recently
use in various areas : Tumor Specific Antigens, viral antigens,
drugs with narrow therapeutic index, non-clinical applications
IRMA- Prostate Specific Antigen - Prostate Cancer RIA-Aflatoxin B1
- mycotoxin - food commodities Slide 20 15 th July 06 Radiometric
Assays Analytical techniques to measure minute quantities of an
analyte in a complex matrix Use of radiolabeled molecule as the
tracer Utility in Medicine, Environment, Food industry etc. Slide
21 15 th July 06 ConcentrationSubstance 10 mmol/L 1 Glucose Albumin
100 10 umol/L 1 Creatinin Iron Immunoglobulin 100 10 nmol/L 1
Thyroxin, Cortisol Progesterone, Testosterone, T3 Estradiol 100 10
pmol/L Insulin Free T3 Endocrinology, Oncology Drug development
Pharmacology & toxicology Non clinical fields Slide 22 15 th
July 06 Diagnostic Radiopharmaceuticals : in-vivo In-Vivo : inside
the body Static Imaging Organ size, shape, abnormalities etc.
Thyroid, Liver, Kidneys, Brain, Skeleton, Lungs, malignancies
Presence of nodules, tumours, metastatic lesions, goitre, abcess,
shrinkage etc. Dynamic Imaging Functioning of the organ, rate,
output, defects etc. Heart, Liver, Kidneys Infarcted myocardium,
hole in the heart, filtration defects in kidneys etc. Slide 23 15
th July 06 Nuclear Medicine for imaging Very safe Non-invasive No
reactions or side effects minimal radiation dose Slide 24 15 th
July 06 Uniqueness of a nuclear scan X-ray, USG, CT & MRI give
anatomic information. Nuclear scan provides unique FUNCTIONAL as
well as ANATOMIC INFORMATION A highly sensitive technique; also
known as Molecular Imaging Available for almost every organ /
system Slide 25 15 th July 06 Example: Functioning of heart muscles
Typical heart scan - dynamic showing various regions for easy
diagnosis of functioning and quantification of results Slide 26 15
th July 06 Static images of thyroid with Na 99m TcO 4 Lingual
Thyroid Normal Cold Nodule - Rt Lobe Avid Uptake with increased TSH
Iodine Deficiency Goitre Avid Uptake with increased T3& T4
Toxicosis Slide 27 15 th July 06 99mTc MDP Bone Scan Multiple
Metastases Ca Prostate Normal Multiple Metastases Ca Lt Breast
WHOLE BODY BONE SCAN for skeletal metastases in patients with known
or suspected cancer. Slide 28 15 th July 06 Positron Emission
Tomography: PET Recent technology 18 F-Fuloro deoxy glucose ( 18
F-FDG) most widely used tracer for PET 3D picture of defects,
clear, precise Most often used to find out recurrence of cancers
Also used to image heart and brain to find tissues that are not
alive (do not take up glucose) Slide 29 15 th July 06 Example : PET
machine & PET image Slide 30 15 th July 06 Therapeutic
Radiopharmaceuticals Deleterious effect of ionising radiations on
cells/organisms In-vivo&Sealed Sources Primarily Cancers;
others : hyperthyroidism, radiation synoviorthesis etc.
Historically very old ; non-systematic Systematic - Old - 131 I, 32
P Surge - past 15 years Forecast : sales 0.5 B USD now to 2.8 B in
2007 Slide 31 15 th July 06 Range of particulate radiations a Auger
e- 5.3 MeV , 0.15 MeV - 1.7 MeV - Range (mm) 0.01 0.1 1 10 b c d a
: cell nucleus b : single cell c : few cells d : 100 cells Slide 32
15 th July 06 Palliative - Bone pain Radiolabeled phosphonates 89
Sr Chloride, 32 P-phosphate, 153 Sm-EDTMP, 188 Re- HEDP, 188
Re-CTMP, 177 Lu-DOTMP, 175 Yb-DOTMP Liver cancer treatment
colloids/particulates - through hepatic artery 166 Ho-chitosan, 90
Y-glass microspheres, 188 Re-Sn colloid Radiation Synoviorthesis
colloids/particulates : intra articular injections 166
Ho-Hydroxyapaptite(HA), 153 Sm-HA, BARC - clinical trials and
supply Therapeutic Radiopharmaceuticals Slide 33 15 th July 06
Example: Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using a
radiopharmaceutical Slide 34 15 th July 06 Brachytherapy Use of
radioactive sources for treatment Within the tissue Covering the
cancer tissue like amould Within a cavity having cancer Within a
vessel to be irradiated Slide 35 15 th July 06 Treatment of Breast
Cancer Slide 36 15 th July 06 Low Energy Radioactive Plaque Therapy
for treatment of Ocular melonoma Tiny rice-sized
{0.8mm(OD)x4.75mm(l)} radioactive seeds (15-25 no.) are glued into
the gold eye-plaque or seed carrier. A mushroom-shaped choroidal
melanoma Plaque is sewn covering the tumour and removed after
stipulated dose delivery (2-3 weeks) Slide 37 15 th July 06
Clinical Trials Sankara Netralaya, Chennai; 10 Patients
successfully treated since Sept. 2003; all doing fine. Product
awaiting AERB approval for regular use Slide 38 15 th July 06
Prostate brachytherapy Prostate brachytherapy within tissues.
Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer cells grow in the
prostate. Seed implantation with I-125/Pd-103 seeds (brachytherapy)
is a highly effective treatment for men with prostate cancer.
Treatment: Hormone therapy Surgery Radiation therapy Slide 39 15 th
July 06 Intracavitary brachytherapy Encapsulation of small
radioactive ( 137 Cs)tubes(40 mCi each). Location of tumor
position. Implantation of applicator Slide 40 15 th July 06
External beam radiation therapy - Teletherapy External source High
intensity radiation; 60 Co most widely used A machine is used to
direct the radiation to the tumor (cancer) through the skin. Slide
41 15 th July 06 Indigenous Teletherapy Machine Slide 42 15 th July
06 Gamma Knife Multiple targeting (up to 201 60 Co sources; 1 TBq
each; circular array) to achieve better dose delivery and low
damage to surrounding tissues. Brain tumors Acoustic neuroma
Arteriovenous malformation malformation (AVM) Trigeminal neuralgia
High accuracy, low risk, low complications, low morbidity Slide 43
15 th July 06 Radioisotope Applications in Industry Quick, easy,
clean and cost saving techniques Sealed Sources Radiation
Processing Radiography Testing Gamma Scanning Industrial tomography
Nucleonic Control Systems Radioactive Tracers Flow rate
measurements Inventory Control - chemical plants Leak/blockage
detection- pipe lines RTD Studies in chemical reactors Silt
movement studies (harbours) Slide 44 15 th July 06 Radiation
processing Gamma rays/ Electron beams Medical products
sterilization Blood irradiation Polymerisation Hydrogel Surface
curing of materials-cables, wires, O-rings Processing of sewage
sludge Value addition of gems Food & Agriculture industry Slide
45 15 th July 06 Gamma irradiation plant Slide 46 15 th July 06
Slide 47 Electron Beam Machine Slide 48 15 th July 06 Radiation
processed Hydrogel for use as Burn/Wound Dressing Product patented
Commercialized Slide 49 15 th July 06 Sewage Sludge Hygienization
Facility Vadodara Slide 50 15 th July 06 Slide 51 Slide 52 Slide 53
Irradiated Gems Value addition Slide 54 15 th July 06 Radiation
& Radioisotopes in Food & Agriculture Radiation Processing
Sprout inhibition - potatoes, onions Disinfestation - grains
Delayed ripening - bananas etc. Extension of shelf life -
strawberries Microbial decontamination spices, meat Hygeinization
meat, fish Sterilisation meat, fish, chapatis etc. Slide 55 15 th
July 06 FRENCH BEANS UNTREATED TREATED 1 kGy TREATED 2 kGy
Shelf-life extension of whole ready to cook French beans by
radiation processing [Storage temperature 10 0 C] [Storage duration
17 Days ] Slide 56 15 th July 06 POMEGRANATE ARILS UNTREATED
TREATED 2 kGy Shelf-life extension of cut ready to eat pomegranate
arils by radiation processing [Storage temperature 10 0 C] [Storage
duration 25 Days ] Slide 57 15 th July 06 WHITE PUMPKINS (ASH
GOURD) CONTROL IRRADIATED (2 kGy) Shelf-life extension of cut ready
to cook ash gourd by radiation processing STORAGE DURATION : 8 DAYS
STORAGE TEMPERATURE : 10 0 C Slide 58 15 th July 06 Mutation High
yield -Ground nuts, rice, pulses Disease resistance -mung powdery
mildew Enhanced properties -ground nut, jute Early maturity -ground
rice, pulses, jute Large seed -ground nut Radiotracers Optimisation
of fertiliser use, amounts, time, soil depth etc. Slide 59
Greengram TMB-37 2005M: 63 Y: 1100 YI: 20 Eastern UP, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Assam and West Bengal Tolerant to yellow mosaic virus
Soybean TAMS-38 2005M: 95 Y: 2318 YI: 20 MaharashtraEarly maturing,
resistant to bacterial pustule, Myrothecium leaf spot Groundnut
TPG-41 2004M: 120 Y: Summer 2407 YI: 26 All IndiaLarge seed (65g
100 seeds) Fresh seed dormancy On farm trials 4551kg/ha 49%
increase Groundnut TG-37A 2004M: 110 Y: Kharif 1993 YI: 26-38 Rainy
season Rajasthan,Punjab Haryana,Gujarat UP. Rabi/Summer
W.Bengal.Orissa, Assam/N.E. Wider adaptability, seed dormancy
Trombay varieties Released & Notified by MoA, GOI for
commercial cultivation(2004-05) TPG-41TG-37A TAMS-38 TMB-37
M=Maturity(days), Y=Yield (Kg/ha), YI= Yield Increase (%) Slide 60
15 th July 06 Trombay Groundnuts in Farmers Field Girgaon Receding
moisture situation Karnataka Slide 61 15 th July 06 TROMBAY
GROUNDNUT READY FOR THE MARKET Slide 62 15 th July 06 Radiography
Easy detection of defects Just like X rays for chest congestion or
fractures! Slide 63 15 th July 06 RADIOGRAPHY TESTING OF AIRCRAFT
ENGINE Slide 64 15 th July 06 FIELD RADIOGRAPHY SYSTEM Slide 65 15
th July 06 GAMMA SCANNING OF INDUSTRIAL PROCESS COLUMNS Slide 66 15
th July 06 Tomographic system Slide 67 15 th July 06 Radiotracer
for studying silt movement, dredging etc. in coasts/harbours Slide
68 15 th July 06 Underground pipeline leakage detection by
radiotracer Long buried pipelines Easy detection Exact location
Enormous amount of time, labour and money saving Slide 69 15 th
July 06 Slide 70 Detection of underground pipeline leakage Slide 71
15 th July 06 In Essence . Radionuclides and Radiation play
important roles in many fields that affect human welfare. The
impact of nuclear medicine in Medical field is very gratifying In
Agriculture and food industry radiation and radioisotope have a
significant role to play In industries too the use of radiations is
steadily increasing for a variety of purposes The futuristic
predictions show an upward trend towards use of
radiations/radionuclides Slide 72 15 th July 06 Acknowledgements
Dr. Gurcharan Singh, Head, IAD, BARC Dr. S.F. DSouza, Head, NA
& BTD, BARC Dr. A.K. Sharma, Head, FTD, BARC Dr. S. Sabharwal,
Head, RTDS, BARC Slide 73 15 th July 06 Thank You!
