Alternative production methods to face global molybdenum-99 supply shortage

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine
• Radiopharmaceutical production
• Medical isotope supply chain

Background:

• The global supply of molybdenum-99 ((99)Mo), a precursor for technetium-99m (99mTc) used in medical diagnostics, is critically dependent on a few aging nuclear reactors.
• The National Research Universal (NRU) reactor in Canada, a major producer, is nearing the end of its operational life, threatening a significant portion of the world's supply.
• Increasing demand for diagnostic imaging, driven by an aging global population, exacerbates the need for a reliable (99)Mo supply.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the impending global shortage of molybdenum-99 ((99)Mo) for medical applications.
• To explore and evaluate alternative production strategies for (99)Mo and its daughter isotope (99m)Tc.
• To ensure the continued availability of essential radioisotopes for diagnostic nuclear medicine.

Main Methods:

• Investigating the feasibility of replacing highly enriched uranium (HEU) targets with low-enriched uranium (LEU) in existing nuclear reactors for (99)Mo production.
• Assessing the potential of particle accelerators for the direct production of (99)Mo or (99m)Tc.
• Analyzing the capacity of remaining global reactors to compensate for the potential loss of major production facilities.

Main Results:

• The aging infrastructure of current (99)Mo production reactors poses a significant risk to the global supply chain.
• Alternative methods, such as using LEU targets and accelerator-based production, show promise for diversifying and securing future isotope supplies.
• No single existing reactor or combination thereof can fully replace the production capacity of facilities like the NRU.

Conclusions:

• Urgent development and implementation of alternative (99)Mo and (99m)Tc production methods are necessary to avert a critical healthcare crisis.
• Transitioning to LEU targets and exploring accelerator-based production are key strategies for long-term supply stability.
• International collaboration and investment in new technologies are vital to meet the growing global demand for medical radioisotopes.