Can someone explain to me how radioactive isotopes work to monitor cancerous growth?

Question

jojokiw3 · Answer

@Kainui

kainui · Answer

Unfortunately I'm not too familiar with this so I can't help you I'm afraid, sorry.

jojokiw3 · Answer

Oh, okay. o.o It's okay anyways, I just saw my bio book mention this but it didn't explain it so I was curious.

jadedry · Answer

I'm not perfectly sure, but I believe that radioactive isotopes act as "tags" or tracers. If you "tag" a cancerous growth with the radioactive material, you would be able to see where the cancer is traveling due due to the output of the isotope. This article sheds a bit of light on the matter : http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Non-Power-Nuclear-Applications/Radioisotopes/Radioisotopes-in-Medicine/

jojokiw3 · Answer

If you know exactly how I definitely want to know! xD