noun
technetium
tek-NEE-shee-um/tekˈniːʃiəm/
A radioactive metallic chemical element with atomic number 43.
The periodic table lists technetium as element number 43.
Etymology
The name labels the element “artificial,” using a Greek word derived from “art, skill, craft.” The ending places it in the naming pattern for metallic elements.
In context
a technician bone scan is similar to a regular bone scan but with a technetium used as a tracer a radioactive tracer is used in the body
More examples
- Every isotope of technetium is radioactive.
- Hospitals use technetium-99m in scans that help doctors examine organs.
- Researchers study how technetium reacts with other elements.