Radioisotope

radioisotope /ra·dio·iso·tope/ (-i´so-top) a radioactive isotope; one having an unstable nucleus and emitting characteristic radiation during its decay to a stable form.

---

ra·di·o·i·so·tope (rd--s-tp)

n.

A naturally or artificially produced radioactive isotope.

---

Radioisotope

A chemical tagged with radioactive compounds that is injected during a nuclear medicine procedure to highlight organ or tissue.

Mentioned in: Bone Nuclear Medicine Scan, Hyperthyroidism, Liver Nuclear Medicine Scan, Scrotal Nuclear Medicine Scan, Thallium Heart Scan, Thyroid Nuclear Medicine Scan

---

radioisotope (rā´dēōī´sōtōp),

n a chemical element that has been made radioactive through bombardment of neutrons in a cyclotron or atomic pile or found in a natural state.

---

radioisotope

a radioactive form of an element. A radioisotope consists of unstable atoms that undergo radioactive decay emitting alpha, beta or gamma radiation. Radioisotopes occur naturally, as in the cases of radium and uranium, or may be created artificially. See also radionuclide.

Artificial radioisotopes are created by bombarding stable atoms of an element with subatomic particles in a nuclear reactor or in an atom smasher, or cyclotron. When the nucleus of a stable atom is charged by bombarding particles, the atom usually becomes unstable, or radioactive, and is said to be 'labeled' or 'tagged'.

---

radioisotope organ scanning

injection of an isotope and scanning of organs in which the isotope is planned to locate, e.g. radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland.