Publication Laka-library:
Alternatives for the production of medical isotopes
| Author | Greenpeace Netherlands, Profundo, J.W.van Gelder, A.Herder |
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6-07-4-60-35.pdf |
| Date | March 2010 |
| Classification | 6.07.4.60/35 (MISCELLANEOUS - RADIO ISOTOPES - NUCLEAR MEDICINE / MEDICAL APPLICATIONS ) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
Alternatives for the production of medical isotopes A research paper prepared for Greenpeace Netherlands Profundo, 30 March 2010 Jan Willem van Gelder Anniek Herder Summary The time and investments needed to built the proposed high flux reactor PALLAS, can also be used to develop alternatives for the production and use of medical isotopes. As a nuclear reactor has significant disadvantages because of safety and environmental issues, this report commissioned by Greenpeace, takes a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of alternatives for nuclear reactors and the period needed for each alternative to become commercially available. Although the (limited) research has not found detailed information about construction time and costs, it does show that there are interesting alternatives available. Table 1 provides an overview of the alternative production technologies for producing the most widely used medical isotope Technetium-99 (Tc-99m). This isotope is used for imaging technologies and derived from parent isotope Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), that is produced in a nuclear research reactor. According to a Dutch study amongst nuclear medicine professionals its use is not expected to decrease the coming fifteen years. But in absolute terms, the demand for Mo-99 is not likely to increase. Moreover, the European imaging association AIPES does believe that a shift towards the use of non-reactor produced radionuclides for imaging and therapy purposes and pain relief, is possible because of the availability and increasing use of alternative imaging technologies. Since the radio-isotope supply crises of 2008 these technologies are increasingly being considered as substitutes instead of complementary to common nuclear medicine procedures. Besides that we also found a report on the increased use of Thallium, the predecessor of Tc-99, that can be made using accelerators. For therapeutic applications many different medical isotopes are required, that can be made with accelerators or replaced by other isotopes, produced with accelerators. Based on the conclusions, we recommend: to undertake a more thorough research that compares the alternative production technologies for Mo-99 on a set of indicators like costs, construction time needed, the impact on waste, the use of highly enriched uranium for fuel and targets, additional facilities needed, etc.; to undertake additional research to assess the future demand and production technologies for other radioisotopes (besides Mo-99); to asses if separate solutions or a combined solution for producing Mo-99 and producing other radioisotopes are most desirable