Material World

Quentin Cooper hears about medical isotopes, one of the staples of modern medicine which allow doctors to track down damaged tissue and diseased organs. These radioactive tracers are in danger of vanishing from our medical shelves because the ageing nuclear reactors that they are made in keep breaking down. Quentin talks to a supplier of medical isotopes and a leading user, to hear about our need for these chemicals and what can be done to ensure their availability.