More Nuclear Reactors Called for to Ensure Uninterrupted Supply of Radioisotopes

A Canadian panel has called for more nuclear reactors to be set up to ensure uninterrupted supply of radioisotopes and also a better communication mechanism among the agencies involved.

The shutdown of the National Research Universal nuclear reactor at Chalk River in November 2007 had sparked off a near crisis in the nuclear medicine community.

The reactor, which provides two-thirds of the world's radioisotopes, stopped supplying nuclear material essential for medical imaging and diagnostic scans for fractures, cancers and heart conditions. It was restarted on December 16.

A group of health specialists, including experts from the field of nuclear medicine, was convened by Health Canada in December 2007 during the prolonged shutdown. The group was conveying to the government its assessment of the impact of the isotope shortage. Once the reactor was restarted and the supply of medical isotopes returned to normal, the group began work on lessons learned from the situation.

In their report released Monday, the doctors write how they were in the dark when the Chalk River nuclear reactor halted production of medical isotopes late last year, a critical oversight that put patients at risk.

Doctors say they were forced to delay diagnostic and treatment procedures for patients across the country when the supply of isotopes dried up last December.

And not knowing how long the isotope shortage would last, they were forced to decide whether to proceed with other procedures for their patients that carried more risk or would be less accurate.