A medical physicist is selecting a radioactive isotope to act as a diagnostic tracer to monitor renal clearance in a patient. The diagnostic imaging scan takes approximately 3 hours to perform, and the radiation detector is positioned externally to the patient.
| Isotope | Radiation Emitted | Half-life |
|---|---|---|
| Isotope A | Gamma (γ\gammaγ) | 15 years15\text{ years}15 years |
| Isotope B | Gamma (γ\gammaγ) | 6.0 hours6.0\text{ hours}6.0 hours |
| Isotope C | Beta-minus (β−\beta^-β−) | 8.0 days8.0\text{ days}8.0 days |
| Isotope D | Alpha (α\alphaα) | 2.5 minutes2.5\text{ minutes}2.5 minutes |
Which isotope is the most suitable for this procedure?
Isotope A
Isotope B
Isotope C
Isotope D