How Bangladesh is Breaking Down Barriers to Nuclear Medicine

IAEA Thursday 3rd November, 2016

The majority of the radiopharmaceuticals used in Bangladesh's nuclear medicine centres now come from the radioisotope production laboratory housed in the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission's Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology in Savar, just outside of Dhaka. The laboratory relies on a 3-megawatt (MW) research reactor to develop and supply radiopharmaceuticals used in the over 500000 procedures performed at NINMAS and the other publicly-funded and private nuclear medicine centres every year.

"We used to only produce very small amounts of radiopharmaceuticals and could only supply Dhaka. Now we have been able to cut imports and sustainably meet the growing demand of the whole country without interruption," said M. Azizul Haque, Head of the Radioisotope Production Division of the BAEC's Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology.

Through its collaboration with the IAEA, the laboratory has also established an ISO-certified clean room facility for producing Tc-99m cold kits, which are used for preparing Tc-99m radiopharmaceuticals for use in diagnostic procedures.

Now the laboratory is working with the IAEA to setup a new facility to produce lutetium-177 (Lu-177), another radioisotope used for palliation of bones for terminal cancer patients. The facility is a few months away from completion.

"We also have a plan for a new 20 to 30 MW reactor within the next 10 years. Then we can produce the isotopes locally, and then we may be able to supply it to other countries," said Azizul Haque.

To read more please visit: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/how-bangladesh-is-breaking-down-barriers-to-nuclear-medicine

Source: IAEA