Battling the Bottleneck. Critically Needed Diagnostic Isotope's Supply Remains Uncertain

Doctors around the world administer a radioisotope called technetium-99m (Tc-99m) approximately 30 million times a year, or about once every second. This radioisotope helps doctors determine how well blood flows in the heart, track the spread of cancer in bones, or monitor brain activity in real time. In general, this radioisotope allows physicians to detect and diagnose illness earlier and with greater precision than any other available technique.