On an average day, a dozen or so patients arrive at the sprawling Maine Medical Center in Portland for bone scans, tests for heart or gallbladder problems, or dozens of other tests performed with the radioactive isotope technetium-99m. When injected into a patient’s vein, TC-99m, mixed with a “tracer” chemical, knows exactly which part of the body to target. From there the radioactive isotope emits gamma rays that transmit an image to a camera, enabling specialists to check for tumors, gauge blood flow through the heart, monitor kidney function or examine a number of other conditions. … Back to Article
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