What is Samarium 153 used for in medicine?
A radioactive substance used to treat bone cancer and other cancers that have spread to the bone. Samarium Sm 153 is a radioactive form of the element samarium. It collects in bone, where it releases radiation that may kill cancer cells.
What type of radiation does samarium 153 emit?
Samarium 153 is a man-made radionuclide that emits beta particles of 0.81 MeV (20%), 0.71 MeV (30%), and 0.64 MeV (50%) and gamma photons of 103 keV (28%). It has a relatively short half-life of 46.3 hours and, consequently, a relatively high dose-rate.
How is samarium 153 produced?
Samarium-153 was produced by neutron activation of raw materials of Samarium-152 trioxide. Samarium-153 produces beta particles that work to reduce bone pain due to cancer and gamma rays that act as imaging agents and allow patients to perform imaging through gamma cameras.
Is samarium used to treat lung cancer?
It is commonly used in lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and osteosarcoma.
What is samarium therapy?
Samarium Sm 153 lexidronam injection is used to help relieve bone pain that may occur with certain kinds of cancer. The radioactive samarium is taken up in the bone cancer area and gives off radiation that helps provide relief from pain.
What is the half-life of radium 223?
Radium-223 is an alpha particle-emitter with a half-life of 11.4 days. The specific activity of radium-223 is 1.9 MBq/ng.
Is samarium metal toxic?
Samarium has no biological role, but it has been noted to stimulate metabolism. Soluble samarium salts are mildly toxic by ingestion and there are health hazards associated with these because exposure to samarium causes skin and eye irritation.
How is samarium used in medicine?
What is an interesting fact about samarium?
Samarium is a yellowish silver-colored metal. It is the hardest and the most brittle of the rare earth elements. It tarnishes in air and will ignite in air at about 150 °C. Under ordinary conditions, the metal has rhombohedral crystals.