molybdenum-99

Molybdenum-99 is a radioactive isotope of molybdenum with a half-life of approximately 66 hours. It decays by beta emission to produce technetium-99m (Tc-99m), which is the most widely used radioisotope in nuclear medicine for diagnostic imaging. Tc-99m is employed in over 80% of nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures worldwide, including SPECT scans and other imaging techniques to detect and stage diseases such as cancer, heart disease, bone disorders, and more. Molybdenum-99 itself does not have direct pharmaceutical activity but serves as the parent isotope in technetium generators ("moly cows"), from which Tc-99m can be eluted for clinical use. Mo-99 is typically produced via fission of uranium targets (either highly enriched uranium or low-enriched uranium) in nuclear reactors or through neutron activation methods; newer production technologies include fusion-driven processes. The global supply chain for Mo-99 is critical for healthcare systems due to its essential role in medical diagnostics[1][2][3][5][6].

Other names

Mo-99Mo99Mo 9999Mo