Medical Isotopes - Alternatives to the use of Nuclear
All those opposed to nuclear development for ages are sometimes disrupted or weakened in their convictions when it comes to treating cancer using isotope medical. Everybody wants to be treated as soon as possible with the advanced methods most effective, of course.
This is a complex issue. Medical isotopes are used in medical diagnosis long before the discovery of nuclear fission. They were first produced in cyclotrons or particle accelerators do not use any of uranium and producing only very little radioactive waste, and then very weakly radioactive. These cyclotrons were the pride of several university research centers. This happened when the government invested more in research fundamental.
Thereafter came AECL (Atomic Energy Canada Limited), who worked very hard over the years to expand its highly profitable subsidiary of medical isotopes produced in nuclear reactors. Smart enough, the nuclear operators! How to make nuclear socially acceptable if it is saving lives? The use of isotopes radioisotopes used in medicine are generally for medical research, cancer screening, sterilizing medical equipment and, more rarely, for the treatment of certain cancers.
Use isotope
The most common medical isotopes produced in nuclear reactors are cobalt-60 and molybdenum-99. Cobalt-60 is mainly used for the irradiation of tumors and to sterilize medical equipment. The molybdenum-99 is degraded into a metastable isotope called technetium-99m has a half-life of only six hours. Technetium-99m is the radioisotope of choice used for several diagnostic tests. Gamma rays of this product are less "aggressive" than those of cobalt-60, so it is preferred because it provides good diagnostic images by sending a weaker dose of radiation to the patient. The problem with Mo-99 is that it can be produced only nuclear reactor, and this, using highly enriched uranium. Enriched to 95%, that is to say as to be coveted by the equally humanist nuclear weapons industry.
Incident
At Chalk River, was produced just for Mo-99 before the problems begin ... The reactor off indefinitely, although our politicians are talking about a three-month halt, would theoretically due to retire in 2000. But just as Quebecers robbed of their savings in the scandal of the Caisse, must resume the service for another ten years despite its wear and fatigue. The corrosion of the walls led to an incident described as "very slight leakage of heavy water" by the official spokesman for AECL. The leak occurred in the environment following a power outage.
But this is not the fault of this reactor fifties led to the end despite repeated warnings signs of burnout given the very maternal Linda Keen, CNSC President (Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission) until that it is thanked for his services indefinitely for granting sick leave to his protege. The newly built two reactors, MAPLE 1 and 2, which would relieve him of his duties, are not functional and will probably never do, despite the huge sums invested.
Another serious problem associated with the use of uranium enriched to 95% in the production of medical isotopes is that the supply of reactor. United States, the Nuclear Control Institute (NCI) went up to court to prevent the delivery of enriched uranium (HEU Highly enriched uranium) at Chalk River because of a law (the Schumer Amendment ) that aims to stop all exports of HEU to other countries.
AECL was notified by U.S. authorities to find other ways to produce Mo-99 with enriched uranium, but it did not take the warning seriously.
Other routes
McGill once produced all its medical isotopes in a cyclotron on the campus of the university in Montreal.
Two Alternatives to technetium-99m are thallium-206, which can be produced in a cyclotron without using uranium, and PET scans, which combine with a radioisotope of short called fluorine-18, radioisotope also produced in a cyclotron without uranium.
We said then that it is not possible, why does everyone panic if alternatives exist?
You say that PET scans are expensive, although they often give superior results in technetium-99m. It is true that they are expensive, two or three million dollars for a device. If you look out the AECL's financial statements, we learn that 1.7 billion has been injected into the tinkering Chalk River since 2006 to lead ... the current crisis. For same amount, we could buy 500 or 600 PET scans, which they would be operational today. And the money wasted on the MAPLE reactors (530 million) would have allowed the purchase of 170 additional PET scans.
Although Quebec hospitals starved of isotopes, the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke has developed a technique that could allow more hospitals to limit the number of exams they have to cancel. Instead isotope technetium-99 type, use of sodium fluoride to bone examinations. Besides serving to detect hidden fractures, it can be used for cases of breast cancer and prostate cancer.
The CHUS has initiated the production of fluoride after the first attack of isotopes in 2007. "It is the only hospital in bringing this project into motion and we are very happy today," said Dr. Eric Turcotte, Head of Clinical Medical Imaging Center of Sherbrooke.
The institution has decided to increase production to help other hospitals who want it. The Centre hospitalier de Trois-Rivieres already examinations from fluoride product in Sherbrooke. Hotel-Dieu de Quebec, Rimouski Hospital and even the CHUM have also obtained permission from Health Canada to use this product. "We have the capacity to supply all 12 stores in Quebec who have a PET scan, says Dr. Turcotte. It can produce three times a day. "
