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Production of nuclear pharmaceuticals

Because of their very long half-lifes none of the naturally occuring radioisotopes are suitable for nuclear medicine. The isotopes must therefore be manufactured. This can only be achieved using nuclear reactions. By means of protons and neutrons from cyclotrons and nuclear reactors, almost any radioisotope can be formed. In Petten are two cyclotrons, an older model from Philips and a new machine from IBA, and two nuclear reactors, the High Flux Reactor with a power of 45 MW (approximately 100 times less than a a typical nuclear reactor for electricity production) and the Low Flux Reactor with a power of 30 kW. The High Flux Reactor produces 60% of all radioisotopes used in European hospitals.

These man-made isotopes are often called cyclotron isotopes and reactor isotopes. These terms refer only to the production method, and have no further meaning. The cyclotron isotopes are formed by nuclear reactions with protons (from a cyclotron, a ring-shaped particle accelerator). Reactor isotopes are produced by nuclear reactions with neutrons which can only be generated in sufficient quantities during fission of uranium in a nuclear reactor.

  
NRG, Postbus 25, NL-1755 ZG Petten, Nederland, Tel +31-224564950, Fax +31-224568912
Informatie: info@nrg.eu
Update 18 June 2004