Nuclear, radioactive, radiation, nuclear waste; what do these words bring to mind? Most would think of a superhero, or a deformed animal twice its actual size, but radioactivity is a real life thing, a real life dilemma. Radioactive material comes from an atom that has gone through nuclear decay and has become unstable. Radiation can come from multiple things; Manmade sources, …show more content…
Nuclear medicine uses radiation to provide the diagnostic information about the specific organ functions of each person, or it is used to treat them. X-rays, CT scans, radiotherapy; all require the activity of radioactive material. Tens of millions of nuclear medicine procedures are being performed each year, and the demand for radioisotopes is rapidly increasing. While these forms of medical technologies are working very well, there are many risks and precautions to take beforehand. If someone is to undergo chemotherapy, their bloodstream is slowly injected with radioactive material that targets and attacks cells. While this may help to get rid of the cancerous cells, it can also attack many healthy cells, causing many medical problems. The patient can undergo side effects such as pain, nausea, hair loss, easily prone to infection, lethargy, and, in severe cases, early death. Additionally, X-rays can emit radiation, so when someone has multiple X-rays taken, they can be prone to infertility, radiation, and many other side effects. In conclusion, radioactive materials in medicine have many benefits, but also have many drawbacks. In reality, it is not really a benefit drawback argument, it’s what the patient wishes to be exposed to, even if the procedures have