Use of Molybdenum in the Medical Field

Use of Molybdenum in the Medical Field

Molybdenum (Mo) and molybdenum alloys are currently widely used in various industrial fields such as the manufacturing industry, aerospace industry, steel smelting, petrochemical industry, medical equipment, national defense, and so on due to their excellent properties. In this article, we will take a look at the use of molybdenum in the medical field – mammary gland molybdenum target.

Use of Molybdenum in the Medical Field

It is to use soft X-rays to take pictures of breast tissues to achieve the purpose of diagnosis of breast tissues. The structure mainly includes an X-ray tube, high-voltage generator, frame, compression plate, image processing device, puncture biopsy system, image post-processing system (CAD), and digital workstation. It has a very important diagnostic function for breast hyperplasia, breast adenoma, breast cyst, breast cancer, etc. It is one of the most commonly used examination methods in breast surgery. It has many advantages such as non-invasive, less painful, simple, convenient, and high sensitivity. This type of examination has the highest detection rate and is also the most advanced breast cancer examination method.

Why is the molybdenum target suitable for breast detection?

The anode of the X-ray tube is made of Mo. Unlike ordinary X-ray tubes, the anode is made of tungsten. The two atomic numbers are different, which directly affects the energy of the X-ray, and the performance is also different. Mo has an atomic number of 42 while tungsten has an atomic number of 74. The atomic number of Mo is much lower than that of tungsten. After being bombarded by electrons, the X-ray energy is also much lower, with a wavelength of only about 0.6. Obviously, this characteristic is very suitable for transillumination imaging of soft tissues.

Tungsten has a much higher atomic number. After electron bombardment, its X-ray energy is much higher, its wavelength is short, and its penetrating power is strong. It is suitable for transillumination imaging of bones, but not for imaging soft tissues.

In addition to the above application, Mo is also used in other aspects of the medical field. For example, the microporous medical titanium-molybdenum alloy formed by molybdenum and titanium is often used as a hard tissue repair and replacement material because of its good mechanical properties, good biocompatibility, and good matching with the elastic modulus of human hard tissues.

Conclusion 

Thank you for reading our article and we hope it can help you have a better understanding of the use of molybdenum in the medical field. If you want to learn more about molybdenum and molybdenum alloys, we would like to advise you to visit Advanced Refractory Metals (ARM) for more information.

Headquartered in Lake Forest, California, USA, Advanced Refractory Metals (ARM) is a leading manufacturer & supplier of refractory metals & alloys across the world. It provides customers with high-quality refractory metals & alloys such as molybdenum, tantalum, rhenium, tungsten, titanium, and zirconium at a very competitive price.