tungsten188

Tungsten-188, denoted as 188W, is a radioactive isotope of tungsten. It is a relatively long-lived radionuclide, with a half-life of approximately 69.4 days. This means that after 69.4 days, half of the initial amount of 188W will have decayed. Tungsten-188 decays primarily through beta decay, emitting a beta particle and transforming into rhenium-188 (188Re). This daughter isotope, 188Re, is itself radioactive and has a much shorter half-life of about 17 hours. The decay of 188Re is of particular interest because it emits both beta particles and gamma rays, including high-energy gamma rays.

188W is produced in nuclear reactors through neutron activation of tungsten isotopes, typically tungsten-187. The decay chain of 188W to 188Re makes it a useful precursor for medical applications. 188Re, as a daughter product, can be milked from a 188W generator and used as a therapeutic radioisotope. The emitted radiation from 188Re can be directed to target cancerous cells, delivering a dose of radiation to destroy them. Due to its decay characteristics and relatively manageable half-life of the parent isotope, 188W has been explored and utilized in various radiopharmaceutical research and development efforts for cancer treatment and imaging.