Cesium-137 (Caesium-137)

Cesium-137 (Caesium-137) is an artificial radioactive isotope of cesium. The radiation created by cesium-137 is used for x-ray therapy. Designation: 137Cs.

Cesium-137 is formed by the fission of uranium and plutonium nuclei in nuclear reactors. The half-life of cesium-137 is about 30 years.

Due to its properties, cesium-137 is widely used in medicine. It is used to treat cancer using external beam radiation therapy. Cesium-137 sources are placed in special devices that are brought close to the tumor. High-energy gamma radiation from cesium-137 destroys cancer cells.

Cesium-137 is also used in flaw detection to detect defects in structures and products. It is also used in thickness gauges to measure the thickness of various materials.



Cesium-137 is a man-made radioactive isotope that was created in 1938 as a result of nuclear reactions in a nuclear reactor. It has a mass number of 136.9 and a nuclear charge of +32. Cesium-137 is an alpha emitter and emits alpha particles with an energy of 5.4 MeV.

Cesium-137 is used in medicine to perform external curie therapy, which is used to treat tumors. In this case, cesium-137 is introduced into the patient's body in the form of a radioactive solution, which is then distributed throughout the body. The solution then breaks down into alpha particles, which penetrate the tumor cells and destroy them.

However, the use of cesium-137 can be hazardous to the patient's health. Alpha particles are high-energy and can damage surrounding tissue, which can lead to radiation sickness. Additionally, cesium-137 can accumulate in the body, which can cause long-term health effects.

To reduce the risk of using cesium-137 in medicine, new treatments such as laser therapy, radiofrequency ablation and photodynamic therapy have been developed. These methods allow you to more accurately and safely target the tumor without harming surrounding tissues.

Overall, the use of cesium-137 to treat tumors is an important medical advance, but requires caution and close monitoring. New treatments may help reduce the risk of using this radioactive isotope and improve patient outcomes.



Cesium 137 in large dosages is used as a radiation source in medical diagnostics and treatment. In small quantities it is used in the treatment of cancer. Cesium exhibits pronounced alpha activity; in addition, during its decay, alpha particles are emitted. The specific activity and rate of particle formation are low. Therefore, in radiation technology, cesium is used only in a mixture with strontium-90 or technetium. This mixture is called rhenium. Rhenium nuclei Atomic mass: 70 ± 21 Danium U: 725 g/c z: 20 valence: (+1); Slater coefficient Z:6 q(e):(-)1 q(m):(+)2 g(e)(mm/s²):5.0 ×10^-20 Qα(B):- Eα (MeV ):2,2