Lutetium is a silvery-white metal that resists corrosion in dry air, the final lanthanide.
Core Principles & Analysis
Lutetium was discovered independently in 1907 by Georges Urbain, Carl Auer von Welsbach, and Charles James, and is named for Lutetia, the Roman name of Paris.
It is the hardest and densest lanthanide and closes out the series, and the slow decay of lutetium-176 is used to date meteorites.
Lutetium oxyorthosilicate scintillator crystals detect gamma rays in PET scanners, and lutetium-177 delivers targeted radiotherapy for neuroendocrine and prostate cancers.