What are the side effects of cobalt radiation?

What are the side effects of cobalt radiation?

The exposure to high levels of Cobalt-57 damages the affected cells in the body, causing them to mutate and develop cancer cells. In some rare cases, Cobalt-57 may also generate the Acute Radiation Syndrome, with symptoms like bleeding, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, coma and even sudden death.

Is cobalt still used to treat cancer?

Due to its cost effectiveness, reliability and ease of use, it is prevalent in developing countries. Cobalt-60 technology is currently used to treat roughly 70 per cent of the world’s cancer cases treated by radiation. LHSC’s last Cobalt treatment was delivered in 2004.

What are the benefits of using cobalt-60?

The advantages of Co/sup 60/ therapy over conventional x-ray therapy, stemming from the fact that in the lst instance energy absorption within the tissues is by the Compton effect and in the 2nd case by the photoelectric effect, are: (1) increased skin tolerance, (2) reduced bone absorption, (3) increase in depth dose.

Why is cobalt-60 commonly used in radiation therapy?

Cobalt-60 (60Co) and caesium-137 (137Cs) are the most widely used sources of gamma radiation. Co produces gamma rays with energies of 1.173 and 1.332 MeV and has a half-life of 5.27 years, whereas 137Cs produces gamma rays with an energy of 0.662 MeV and has a longer half-life of 30.1 years.

How long does it take for radiation to shrink tumors?

For tumors that divide slowly, the mass may shrink over a long, extended period after radiation stops. The median time for a prostate cancer to shrink is about 18 months (some quicker, some slower).

How do you know if radiation therapy is working?

There are a number of ways your care team can determine if radiation is working for you. These can include: Imaging Tests: Many patients will have radiology studies (CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans) during or after treatment to see if/how the tumor has responded (gotten smaller, stayed the same, or grown).

Is cobalt therapy the same as radiation therapy?

As used in radiotherapy, cobalt units produce stable, dichromatic beams of 1.17 and 1.33 MeV, resulting in an average beam energy of 1.25 MeV. The cobalt-60 isotope has a half-life of 5.3 years so the cobalt-60 needs to be replaced occasionally.

What types of cancer does cobalt-60 Treat?

Cobalt 60 (60Co) is often the ideal mode of radiation for treating laryngeal cancer. For primary treatment of laryngeal cancer, 60Co allows adequate dosing of the superficial tissues.

How does cobalt affect the body?

Cobalt is used in the body to help absorb and process vitamin B12. In addition, cobalt helps treat illnesses such as anemia and certain infectious diseases. Cobalt also aids in repair of myelin, which surrounds and protects nerve cells. It helps in the formation of hemoglobin (red blood cells).

What are the side effects of cobalt-60?

Because it decays by gamma radiation, external exposure to large sources of Co-60 can cause skin burns, acute radiation sickness, or death. Most Co-60 that is ingested is excreted in the feces; however, a small amount is absorbed by the liver, kidneys, and bones.

What happens if you are exposed to cobalt-60?

How long does it take for 90% of a given quantity of the radioactive element cobalt-60 to decay?

In a given cobalt-60 source, since half of the Co6027 nuclei decay every 5.27 years, both the amount of material and the intensity of the radiation emitted is cut in half every 5.27 years.

What are the side effects of cobalt therapy?

Doctors commonly choose cobalt therapy when invasive surgery might harm nearby nerves or vital arteries. Side effects of radiation treatment might include nausea and vomiting, especially if gamma rays target the abdominal area. Some patients suffer burning of the skin where the radiation enters the body, similar to a severe sunburn.

How does cobalt-ion radiation therapy work?

The cobalt is in the radiation head (top center), which produces a beam of gamma rays which penetrate the patient’s body and strike the tumor. Radiation passing through the patient is absorbed by the lead shield opposite. During therapy, the head unit rotates slowly around the patient to reduce the radiation dose to healthy tissue.

What is cobalt used for?

This form of cobalt is used in the jewelry industry, for jet aircraft parts, and in manufacturing of medical devices designed for human implantation. Radiation therapy treats many forms of cancer, including tumors in the lungs, bladder, pancreas, and liver. It might also prove effective for leukemia and other blood cancers.

How does the cobalt-cobalt shield work?

The cobalt is in the radiation head (top center), which produces a beam of gamma rays which penetrate the patient’s body and strike the tumor. Radiation passing through the patient is absorbed by the lead shield opposite.

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