Applications of Tungsten Alloy in the Nuclear Medicine Field

Tungsten alloys has excellent radiation attenuation properties, allowing the thickness of shields to be reduced, while still effectively blocking harmful X-ray and gamma radiation.

Radiation is an effective tool within medicine for both diagnostics and treatment of patients. Techniques such as SPECT and PET utilise radioactive materials injected into the patient, which are then monitored by gamma cameras (SPECT) or scanners (PET) to detect the presence of tumours in the body.

One of the commonly used radioactive materials in nuclear medicine is technetium 99 (Tc99). This is produced in a tungsten Tc99 generator, which contains a radioactive core, loaded with molybdenum 99 which decays to produce Tc99. This is mixed with sodium chloride and other chemicals before being injected into patients. The tungsten provides protection to the clinical staff handling the Tc99generator.

In external radiotherapy tungsten multi-leaf collimators can accurately focus beams of radiation to target cancerous cells. In internal methods such as brachytherapy radioactive seeds can be implanted directly into a tumour.  Prior to delivery, the seeds are held in a Wolfmet tungsten safe to protect medical staff from the radiation.

For all these methods there is a need to carefully control the emission of radiation; to protect those working with potentially harmful isotopes and to ensure that treatments effectively kill off cancerous cells, without harming healthy tissue.


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