Glance into the future of nuclear medicine

The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN) organized the 6th Symposium on Medical Radioisotopes in Mechelen in collaboration with the European Isotope Transport Association (EITA) & Isotopes Services International (ISI) on May 11. In the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, around one hundred Belgian and European experts assisted to the Symposium to discuss the latest progress and challenges in the field.

All aspects of medical radioisotopes supply chain were discussed during this 6th edition. Everything begins with the production. SCK•CEN is one of the world’s largest medical radioisotope producers. Those radioisotopes are essential to diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases, namely cancer. SCK•CEN’s BR2 research reactor produces up to 65% of the global demand in molybdenum-99 each year. In 2016, the refurbishment of the reactor was finalized so it could fulfill its vital producer role. Thanks to the Belgian radioisotope production, some 7 million people benefit from a diagnostic examination each year.

“SCK•CEN caters to the growing needs of the sector for the production of radioisotopes”, explains Bernard Ponsard, Radioisotopes project manager at SCK•CEN. “We recently renewed our research reactor BR2 and we are working on developing the new research infrastructure called MYRRHA. Thanks to innovative research, we want to help nuclear medicine to flourish by developing new types of radioisotopes which will fight diseases even more effectively and with less harmful side effects”.

To read more please visit http://sckcen.be/en/News/20170511_6e_Symposium

Source: SCK•CEN