Rhodium

The beta particles of ¹⁰⁵Rh (with a half-life of about 35 h) are used in target radiotherapy to kill cancer cells or cause cancer cell sterilization [334]. The gamma rays from ¹⁰⁵Rh enable in vivo tracking during radiotherapy [334]. ¹⁰⁵Rh has been used in the treatment of bone pain (Fig. IUPAC.45.1) [334], [337]. Ocular brachytherapy currently is performed using ¹²⁵I (with a half-life of about 59 days) or ¹⁰⁶Rh (with a half-life of about 30 s) seeds [338]. Brachytherapy can allow a good spatial dose distribution over the ocular tumor with lower radiation on adjacent tissues. In the case of irradiation of the eyeball with ¹⁰⁶Rh, 80 percent of the dose has been absorbed within a depth of 5.2 mm and 90 percent has been absorbed within 7.2 mm (Fig. IUPAC.45.2). This limits the application of ¹⁰⁶Rh; however, when ¹⁰⁶Rh can be used, the radiation dose can be lower, which is preferred.