The Colchester East Hants Health Authority is facing a backlog of nuclear health tests as the supply of radioisotopes is finally replenished.
The district in central Nova Scotia had to cancel about 40 procedures when the supply of isotopes ran out this month.
"Between those that were postponed and new requests, we have about 140 requests for various nuclear medicine tests," said health authority spokeswoman Krista Wood.
Medical isotopes are tiny radioactive particles that are injected into the body to help doctors decide how to treat cancer and infection. Between 40 and 50 tests are normally done at Colchester Regional Hospital in Truro every week.
Hospitals across Canada and around the world were forced to cancel these nuclear tests when the supply of isotopes ran out after the biggest global source of medical isotopes — the nuclear reactor in Chalk River, Ont. — was shut down.
Once the federal government stepped in, however, the reactor was restarted.
Wood said extra staff will be called in to clear up the backlog as quickly as possible.
"Priority [will be] given to urgent patients and those who had their appointments postponed," she said.
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