Which isotope of Iodine is used to treat Goitre?
The radioactive isotope of iodine is used to treat Goitre. Iodine-131 (131I), also called radioiodine is an important radioactive isotope of iodine. It has a radioactive decay half-life of about eight days. Use of the 131I as iodide salt exploits the mechanism of absorption of iodine by the normal cells of the thyroid gland.Major uses of 131I include the treatment of thyrotoxicosis and some types of thyroid cancer that absorb iodine. It is associated with nuclear energy, medical diagnostic and treatment procedures. Iodine-131 is notable for causing mutation and death in cells that it penetrates, and other cells up to several millimeters away. For this reason, high doses of the isotope are sometimes less dangerous than low doses, since they tend to kill thyroid tissues that would otherwise become cancerous as a result of the radiation.
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