Radioactive elements such as Iodine-131, Phosphorus-32 and Cobalt-60 are widely used in the medical field for various purposes. Elements such as Iodine-131 are used as tracers in diagnosis of diseases as they can be traced easily because of their radioactivity. The radioactive elements are used extensively in identifying cancerous cells and then in their extermination. Phosphorus-32 is such an element used in identifying cancerous cells as they tend to accumulate more phosphates in comparison to normal cells.
Cobalt-60 is used widely to treat cancer as it can be used to selectively target malignant tumor while minimizing the damage to adjacent healthy cells.
