Publication Laka-library:
Future Supply of Medical Radioisotopes for the UK Report 2014
| Author | British Nuclear Medicine Society, Science & Technology Facilities Council |
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6-07-4-60-25.pdf |
| Date | November 2014 |
| Classification | 6.07.4.60/25 (MISCELLANEOUS - RADIO ISOTOPES - NUCLEAR MEDICINE / MEDICAL APPLICATIONS ) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
Future Supply of Medical Radioisotopes for the UK Report 2014 Report prepared by: British Nuclear Medicine Society and Science & Technology Facilities Council. December 2014 Preface Technetium-99m (99mTc) is the principal radioisotope used in medical diagnostics worldwide. Current estimates are that 99mTc is used in 30 million procedures per year globally and accounts for 80 to 85% of all diagnostic investigations using Nuclear Medicine techniques. Its 6-hour physical half-life and the 140 keV photopeak makes it ideally suited to medical imaging using conventional gamma cameras. 99mTc is derived from its parent element molybdenum-99 (99Mo) that has a physical half-life of 66 hours. At present 99Mo is derived almost exclusively from the fission of uranium-235 targets (using primarily highly-enriched uranium) irradiated in a small number of research nuclear reactors. A global shortage of 99Mo in 2008/09 exposed vulnerabilities in the supply chain of medical radioisotopes. In response, and at the request of member states, the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) assembled a response team and in April 2009 formed a High-Level Group on the security of supply of Medical Radioisotopes (HLG-MR). The HLG-MR terms of reference are: to review the total 99Mo supply chain from uranium procurement for targets to patient delivery; to identify weak points and issues in the supply chain in the short, medium and long-term; to recommend options to address vulnerabilities to help ensure stable and secure supply of radioisotopes.