Radioisotopes have a variety of applications in research, industry, and medicine. Research uses of radioisotopes vary widely from tracers in biological systems to development of systems for detecting covert nuclear weapons. Industrial uses include thickness measurement using the transmission of radiation through a material, material flow measurement by injecting radioactive tracers into the flow path, detecting explosives, and electrical power generation using radioisotope thermoelectric generators. Radioisotopes are used in medicine for diagnostic imaging as well as treatment of diseases such as hyperthyroidism and cancer. The Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory can produce a variety of radioisotopes to meet client needs.
