Crisis In Nuclear Medicine

In recent years,the quantity of medical isotopes has fallen short of demand.In 2008,the shortage of this radioactive material was 3%.Last year,the shortfall rose to 9%.An increasing number of patients need radiological diagnosis and treatment for conditions such as cancer and heart disease,yet only a limited number of facilities exist to meet the demand,and these are older reactors that may experience shutdowns at a moment's notice.Shortages of isotopes result in postponements and cancellation of procedures,as well as usage of more expensive and less effective ones.
The five main reactors for medical isotope production are in Canada,France,the Netherlands,Belgium and South Africa,yielding 95% of the world supply.About 12,000 curie units of radioactivity are produced weekly for medical use.Last year,Canada's National Research University reactor in Ontario experienced a prolonged shutdown.It was also offline in 2007 for a shorter period.The NRU reactor produces 33% of the world supply;so does the High Flux Reactor in the Netherlands.The Osiris reactor in France produces 7%,as does the BR2 in Belgium,while SAFARI-1 in South Africa yields 15%.Another 5% is produced by smaller reactors globally.There are plans to convert a research reactor in Missouri to medical use as well.
The strict nonproliferation regime,and the difficulty of providing adequate security for the isotopes,which could be used by terrorists to make dirty bombs,complicate the response to the growing need.In 2004,the U.S. secreted medical isotopes,among other nuclear materials,out of Iraq,for fear they would be used in a weapon.