In the learn something new every day category... I'm getting some nuclear medicine bone scans done this morning to look at the extent of my infections...
So I did a bit of research & learned Canada is a world leader in new production technology for Technetium, Tc-99m, the radioactive isotope used for 85% of scans worldwide About 30 million scans per year
I knew Canada had been a major world supplier of radioactive imaging materials for years until the aging Chalk River nuclear facility was closed in 2018 So it became necessary to import the nuclear material from other countries
What I didn't know was 🇨🇦 had successfully developed a cyclotron-based alternative to produce Technetium In just 4 years 2016 to 2020 No nuclear reactor needed!
A few other countries have developed cyclotron production technology as well including: Australia Poland Czech Republic And more are working on it: Argentina Indonesia South Korea China
Here's some further reading: Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) is widely used for nuclear medicine bone scans due to its unique properties and advantages in medical imaging. Here’s an explanation of why it’s used and how it’s sourced: Why Technetium-99m is Used for Bone Scans Ideal
Canada appears to be a world leader in cyclotron production capability and technology. Here are some key points supporting this: 1.Canada has a significant cyclotron infrastructure, with 24 medical cyclotrons across 12 cities, 20 of which can produce technetium-99m. 2.Canadian
The development of cyclotron-based technetium-99m production was initiated in response to a government program. In 2009, following disruptions at the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor, the Government of Canada launched the Non-reactor-based Isotope Supply Contribution
Great job scientists, entrepreneurs, NSERC, CIHI, Health Canada, & Govt of Canada! 🇨🇦 👏👏👏