Question

Tracers used in nuclear medicine have short half-lives. What does this characteristic imply?

A) They remain radioactive for an extended period
B) They pose a higher risk of radiation exposure
C) They decay rapidly, reducing patient radiation exposure
D) They require special handling only for a brief duration

Answer 1

Tracers used in nuclear medicine with short half-lives decay rapidly, reducing patient radiation exposure. They do not pose a higher risk of radiation exposure and require special handling only for a brief duration.

Step-by-step explanation:

Short half-lives of tracers used in nuclear medicine imply that they decay rapidly, reducing patient radiation exposure.

Because these tracers have a short half-life, they do not remain radioactive for an extended period. This characteristic ensures that the tracers do not pose a higher risk of radiation exposure to the patient.

Tracers with short half-lives require special handling only for a brief duration, as they rapidly decay and become non-radioactive.