Radioisotopes have potential for medical diagnosis and treatment

Isotopes - atoms of an element that are chemically identical but vary in neutron number and mass - are essential to nuclear medicine. In an effort to return to a stable mass, isotopes known as radioisotopes emit radiation that can damage diseased tissue and can be traced in certain environments, making them useful for medical imaging and cancer therapy, as well as tracking environmental change in oceans and soil, studying the fundamental science of nuclei and safeguarding national security. Read more.