Isotope production boost meets global medical demand
AECL’s National Research Universal (NRU) reactor – just short of its 50th anniversary in November - has broken a record that has stood for more than a decade.
When a short-term production shortfall occurred in the worldwide market for medical isotopes, AECL, upon concluding it could be managed safely, responded by ramping up production to a new high. In May, NRU set a new six-day record for the production of Molybdenum-99 (Moly-99), a medical isotope widely used for diagnosing heart diseases.
This extra effort, achieved safely and efficiently, allowed for more than a million additional diagnostic scans for patients from around the world.
“Recently, there had been circumstances in the global Moly-99 supply chain that gave us an opportunity to make up for a shortfall in the market,” said Mike Thomas, MDS Nordion Senior Vice-President, Finance and Operations. “The additional quantities of Moly-99 that were collectively supplied, processed and shipped by AECL and MDS Nordion represent a significant achievement that we wish to acknowledge.”
Ken McLennan, AECL Director of NRU Operations, said that the ongoing safe operation of NRU and safety of its employees is of primary importance to AECL.
“Safety always comes first before production considerations,” Ken said. “This production boost was made only after it was determined it could be achieved safely, without impact on our employees or the environment. As a result of good work practices and our safety first culture, this record was achieved ‘event free.’”
With its inception in 1957, the NRU reactor was a landmark achievement in Canadian science and technology, “and now, almost half a century later, it is still as important a resource as ever,” he added.
“The NRU reactor produces more than half the world’s market demand, and is showing no signs of slowing down,” said Ken.
NRU is one of the world’s most versatile research reactors. Recognized for its use in materials and neutron beam research, it is also responsible for the production of radioisotopes such as Moly-99, as noted, Cobalt-60, Xenon-133, Iodine-131, Iodine-125, Carbon-14 and Iridium-192.
NRU leads the world in the production of these life-saving medical isotopes used by nuclear medicine practitioners for diagnostic imaging and various forms of therapy, primarily to destroy cancer.
To ensure a long-term secure supply of isotopes, AECL is in the process of commissioning the MAPLE 1 and MAPLE 2 reactors and a new processing facility at its Chalk River site for further isotope supply to MDS Nordion. Unlike other reactors, the MAPLE reactors will be dedicated to the production of medical isotopes. MAPLE 1 and the processing facility are expected to be in service by October 2008; MAPLE 2 is expected to be in service by October 2009.
Owned and operated by AECL, these reactors will be capable of supplying the entire global demand for Moly-99, Iodine-131, Iodine-125 and Xenon-133 for decades to come.