Global Isotope Supply Begins to Return to Normal

The European nuclear medicine industry's efforts to ensure the adequate supply of essential isotopes seem to be paying off.

In January this year, the news that the High Flux Reactor (HFR), one of the world's largest medical isotope manufacturers in Petten, in the Netherlands, had shut down due to a water leak in its cooling system, was a matter of serious concern to the Europe's nuclear medicine industry group as this could imperil the global supply of Mo-99 as well. However, coordinated quick actions by the group of reactors that produce radioisotopes, helped to avert serious shortages of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) and iodine-131 (I-131).

The startup of the BR2 research reactor at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre in Mol, Belgium, on 12 February, three days ahead of schedule, was a major factor in managing the situation. Poland's research reactor, Maria, began producing Mo-99 immediately following the announcement. In addition, other reactors stepped up medical isotope production. .

Mo-99 is used in the production of technetium-99m (Tc-99m), which in turn is used in around 85% of medical imaging exams in nuclear medicine, amounting to around 17 million diagnostic procedures a year globally.

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Source: AuntMinnieEurope