Doctors around the world are bracing for another potential shortage in medical isotopes, when the aging federal nuclear-research facility near Ottawa stops producing them on October 31.
The Chalk River, Ont., facility 鈥� the world鈥檚 oldest operating experimental reactor -- is one of only five facilities in the world currently producing the isotope technetium-99m. It makes about a fifth of the global supply.
The isotope is used in medical scans to search for tumours and examine blood flow through the heart and brain. When the Chalk River plant was offline at the same time as a Dutch facility in 2009, doctors were forced to cancel scans, postpone operations or use less-effective alternatives.
Technetium-99m is derived from medical shipments of radioactive molybdenum-99, an isotope that lasts approximately two weeks in special containers before it decays beyond use. That means stockpiling it isn鈥檛 an option.
Dr. Kevin Crowley, senior director of the Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board, says a shortage is more likely than not.
鈥淲hether those shortages turn out to be severe depends on how quickly the supply chain can react to shortages,鈥� he said.
Dr. Crowley pointed out that three out of four other reactors producing isotopes are planning changes to their facilities or processes, which could lead to unexpected shutdowns.
Dr. Crowley says Canada will be providing a 鈥減ublic service鈥� if it keeps Chalk River on standby in case a severe should shortages occur before new sources come online in 2017 or 2018.
Dr. Christopher O'Brien, Brantford General Hospital's medical director of nuclear medicine, said he鈥檚 frustrated by the idea that he might soon have to ration isotopes.
"We are basically clinging onto the cliff with our fingertips," O'Brien told CTV News medical specialist Avis Favaro.
鈥淚f everything goes, right we鈥檒l muddle through,鈥� he added. 鈥淚f something goes wrong, we鈥檙e in dire straits.鈥�
The NRU nuclear reactor in Chalk River will cease producing molybdenum-99 in October. It will shut down in 2018.
With a report by CTV medical specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip
