DOE has a strong history of using its unique technologies and capabilities to enhance the lives of U.S. citizens. These activities are part of the U.S. Government's commitment to improve the health and well-being of people through the development and implementation of beneficial technologies. In that tradition, the production and application of stable and radioactive isotopes is a major success story. Isotopes are used for patient imaging. It is estimated that one in every three people treated at a hospital.
Medical personnel use radioisotopes in diagnoses, therapy, and laboratory tests.
DOE has provided isotopes and isotope-related services for more than 50 years. The fact that DOE and its predecessors had the foresight and resources to use its unique capabilities to develop and produce isotopes for civilian use has led to the widespread application of medical and industrial isotopes today. A substantial and important infrastructure has been built around the use of isotopes, particularly in the United States. In medicine, the application of stable and radioactive isotopes for research, diagnoses, and therapies is an indispensable and growing component of the U.S. health care system. The use of medical isotopes reduces health care costs and improves the quality of patient care.