Medical isotopes could be made without a nuclear reactor

The new method does not require a nuclear reactor and could therefore eliminate future shortages of technetium-99m — the most widely used medical isotope today.

Until recently, the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor at Chalk River, Ontario, produced almost 50 per cent of the world’s supply of medical isotopes. Then in May 2009, the NRU was shut down for repairs.

This halt in operations, combined with several delays in its restart, contributed to a global isotopes shortage. While the reactor has been back in operation since August 2010, it is scheduled for closure by 2016.

Last June, the Government of Canada announced a $35m (£22m) programme to promote research into alternative methods of producing medical isotopes. Backed by NRC and other collaborators, the Canadian Light Source submitted one of four successful proposals under this research programme to explore the technical and economic feasibility of using an electron linear accelerator to produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) – the ‘parent isotope’ of technetium-99m (Tc-99m).