Microcurie

Microcurie (μCi) is a unit of radioactivity used in the field of nuclear medicine and radiology. It is named after the French physicist Marie Curie, who made significant contributions to the field of radioactivity. One microcurie is equal to 37 kilobecquerels (kBq).

Definition

The microcurie is a subunit of the curie, a non-SI unit of radioactivity. It is defined as one millionth (10^-6) of a curie. This corresponds to 37 kilobecquerels, where one becquerel (Bq) is the activity of a quantity of radioactive material in which one nucleus decays per second.

Usage

The microcurie is commonly used in the field of nuclear medicine for the measurement of radioactivity in medical imaging and treatment procedures. For example, in positron emission tomography (PET), a radioactive tracer is injected into the body, and the amount of radioactivity is often measured in microcuries.

Safety

Handling materials with radioactivity measured in microcuries requires safety precautions to protect against radiation exposure. These may include the use of lead shielding and personal protective equipment, as well as following protocols for safe handling and disposal of radioactive materials.

See also

• Curie
• Becquerel
• Rad (unit)
• Roentgen (unit)

References

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