Fast Neutrons Help Produce Medical Isotopes

Because of its unstable nature, Mo-99 does not occur naturally and is traditionally produced using highly enriched uranium (HEU) in nuclear reactors. Mo-99 is also not produced in the United States, leaving the country to rely on isotope supply from international sources, including a Canadian research reactor that will cease regular production next year, which will reduce the global supply.

The SHINE process is easier to implement, since it involves the bombardment of a LEU uranyl sulfate solution with fast neutrons generated on-site in the ANL linear accelerator. The LEU breaks down after bombardment into hundreds of different isotopes, including Mo-99, which is the result of six percent of the fissions created during the process. The Mo-99 must then be separated from the other fission products before it can be transported for use.

“The development of techniques for domestic production of Mo-99 is a critical national priority and one fully supported by our work at Argonne,” said George Vandegrift, PhD, an ANL distinguished fellow who leads the Mo-99 development efforts. “Millions of patients each year rely on Mo-99 for life-saving diagnostic procedures, but the stability and safety of that supply is threatened by a variety of factors.”

Tc-99m is used in about 85% of all medical imaging procedures worldwide. It is currently made in reactors in Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Australia, and South Africa.

Related Links:
Argonne National Laboratory
SHINE Medical Technologies