Nuclear Medicine
Many people do not realize that there are lots of nuclear medicines used in everyday healthcare.
It is also not well known that half the world's supply is made by a 50-year-old reactor that was temporarily shut down for safety reasons last year.
Canada had plans for a new nuclear reactor but said recently it was scrapping the project.
The Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine said the announcement was "a major concern".
The current reactor is located at the Chalk River facility in eastern Ontario and is operated by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL).
This reactor was supposed to be replaced in 2000 by AECL's MAPLE project, which consisted of two small reactors, but they have been plagued by technical problems and cost overruns and the project was terminated.
Last years shutdown of the current reactor caused a shortage of radioisotopes used in heart tests, cancer tests and other medical procedures.
The current license to operate ends on Oct. 31, 2011 but the government has asked for an extension to ensure the ongoing supply of medical isotopes.
The two MAPLE reactors have cost more than C$500 million to develop but have never worked and never produced medical isotopes. They have been crippled with both technical and economic problems which have remained unresolved.
Last month, the reactors had failed every one in a series of tests.
The government fired the country's top nuclear watchdog in January, saying she had mishandled the NRU closure and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commissioner Linda Keen had refused to allow the reactor to restart after regular maintenance in November, saying not enough safety systems were working.
How this will ultimately affect patient care is yet to be determined, but the shutdown before certainly delayed testing for some of our patients.
It is also not well known that half the world's supply is made by a 50-year-old reactor that was temporarily shut down for safety reasons last year.
Canada had plans for a new nuclear reactor but said recently it was scrapping the project.
The Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine said the announcement was "a major concern".
The current reactor is located at the Chalk River facility in eastern Ontario and is operated by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL).
This reactor was supposed to be replaced in 2000 by AECL's MAPLE project, which consisted of two small reactors, but they have been plagued by technical problems and cost overruns and the project was terminated.
Last years shutdown of the current reactor caused a shortage of radioisotopes used in heart tests, cancer tests and other medical procedures.
The current license to operate ends on Oct. 31, 2011 but the government has asked for an extension to ensure the ongoing supply of medical isotopes.
The two MAPLE reactors have cost more than C$500 million to develop but have never worked and never produced medical isotopes. They have been crippled with both technical and economic problems which have remained unresolved.
Last month, the reactors had failed every one in a series of tests.
The government fired the country's top nuclear watchdog in January, saying she had mishandled the NRU closure and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commissioner Linda Keen had refused to allow the reactor to restart after regular maintenance in November, saying not enough safety systems were working.
How this will ultimately affect patient care is yet to be determined, but the shutdown before certainly delayed testing for some of our patients.
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