Technetium-99m is a radioisotope used to diagnose millions of medical conditions annually.
Upon being injected into the body the radioisotope can be detected using a gamma camera. The technetium-99m is useful in detecting strokes.
This information can be applied in the classroom by:
- Getting the students to research the procedure
- Using a hula hoop, two yogurt pots and a syringe re-enact the full procedure
- Asking the students to refer to the key components of physics at each stage
This a fun interactive way to engage students with the medical uses of radioisotopes.
Dr Steve Essex, is the Head of Physics and a Teaching and Learning Consultant at Sidney Stringer Academy in Coventry, shared this idea after hearing Professor Anna-Maria Belli's Guide to X Rays and CT scanning at the CPD day on Medical physics.
Schools Programme members and course attendees can download the resources from the event in the PTI Staffroom.
Want to discover more inspiring subject knowledge? See our upcoming courses and events for 2017, including our CPD Subject Days on Thermodynamics and Electrochemistry and Plant Power! Engaging students with plants and photosynthesis, and our New Teacher Subject days courses in Chemistry, Biology and Physics.
Find more knowledge nuggets here!
Image: By Brookhaven National Laboratory via Wikipedia, licensed via Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page)