Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal
Volume 61, Issue 1 , Pages 19-22 , February 2010

Radioisotope Shortages in Nuclear Medicine: How We Got There and Developing Solutions

  • John Powe, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress for correspondence: John Powe, MD, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, 855 West 12th Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1M9, Canada.
    • ,
  • Dan Worsley, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • ,
  • Thomas Ruth, PhD

      Affiliations

    • TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

References 

  1. Talisman International Report. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited National Research Universal reactor safety system upgrades and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's licensing and oversight process. Available at: http://www.aecl.ca/Assets/Publications/Reports/Talisman.pdf. Accessed June 2008.
  2. Ad Hoc Health Experts Working Group on Medical Isotopes. Lessons learned from the shutdown of the Chalk River reactor. Available at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/pubs/qual/2008-med-isotope/index-eng.php. Accessed May 2008.
  3. Society of Nuclear Medicine press release. Fast facts on the worldwide medical isotope crisis. Available at: http://interactive.snm.org/index.cfm?PageID=8803&RPID=7739. Accessed June 15, 2009.
  4. MDS Nordion news release. MDS commences arbitration against AECL over cancelled MAPLE project and files $1.6 billion court claim against AECL and the Government of Canada. Available at: http://www.mds.nordion.com/news-releases-2008.asp. Accessed July 9, 2008.
  5. Committee on Medical Isotope Production Without Highly Enriched Uranium . Medical isotope production without highly enriched uranium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2009;
  6. Covidien news release. B&W and Covidien to develop U.S. source of key medical isotope. Available at: http://investor.covidien.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=207592&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1248047&highlight=. Accessed January 26, 2009.
  7. Society of Nuclear Medicine Radioisotope Availability Task Group. Preliminary draft report of the SNM Isotope Availability Task Group. Updated February 2009. Available from: http://www.snm.org/docs/DRAFT%20report%202.23.09.pdf. Accessed February 23, 2009.
  8. A White Paper by a coalition of professional organizations. Reliable domestic and global supplier of molybdenum-99 (99Mo) and switch from highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU) to produce 99Mo. Available at: http://hps.org/govtrelations/documents/isotopes white-paper multiorganization.pdf. Accessed July 10, 2009.
  9. American Medical Isotope Production Act of 2009. Available at: http://hps.org/govtrelations/documents/house hr3276 isotope-production.pdf. Accessed July 31, 2009.
  10. Natural Resources Canada news release. Joint Statement from the Minister of Health and the Minister of Natural Resources on extended NRU shutdown. Available at: http://www.nrcan-rncan.gc.ca/media/newcom/2009/200975-eng.php. Accessed August 12, 2009.
  11. MDS Nordion news release. MDS Nordion submits expression of interest proposal to Government of Canada on medical isotope and generator production. Available at: http://www.mds.nordion.com/documents/news-releases/2009/EOI_28July09.pdf. Accessed July 30, 2009.
  12. Ruth T. Essay: accelerating production of medical isotopes. Nature. 2009;457:536–537

PII: S0846-5371(09)00225-3

doi: 10.1016/j.carj.2009.11.004

Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal
Volume 61, Issue 1 , Pages 19-22 , February 2010

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