How is Technetium-99m generated for medical use?

• A. Through the decay of radioactive waste
• B. By the fusion of Uranium-238
• C. In a nuclear reactor or a cyclotron through fission or activation
• D. Using a chemical process in a laboratory

Answer: (C)

Technetium-99m is generated primarily in a nuclear reactor or a cyclotron through processes like fission or activation. The most common approach involves irradiating molybdenum-98 with neutrons in a nuclear reactor, which leads to the production of molybdenum-99. Molybdenum-99 is the parent isotope that decays to Technetium-99m, which is widely used in various medical imaging applications due to its favorable physical characteristics such as a half-life of about six hours and the emission of gamma rays that are ideal for imaging.

In addition, a cyclotron can be used to produce Technetium-99m directly from certain target materials through various activation reactions. These methods provide a reliable and efficient means to generate this crucial radiopharmaceutical, making it widely available for diagnostic procedures in nuclear medicine.

Other options do not accurately describe the production process of Technetium-99m. Fission and activation are well-established and primary methods, while the decay of radioactive waste or the fusion of Uranium-238 are not relevant to the generation of this radiopharmaceutical. Furthermore, chemical processes in a laboratory do not produce Technetium-99m, as it requires specific nuclear reactions to