Research & Development World

  • Home Page
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Archeology
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Chemistry
    • COVID-19
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Market Pulse
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
      • Software
    • Semiconductors
  • 2021 R&D 100 Award Winners
    • R&D 100 Awards
    • 2020 Winners
    • Winner Archive
  • Resources
    • Digital Issues
    • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Webinars

An affordable way to generate medical isotopes

By R&D Editors | October 15, 2012

undefined

click to enlarge
 
Accelerator scientist John Noonan led the development of a superconducting cage-like radio frequency cavity and a dual electron linear accelerator in an energy-recovery configuration that has the potential to revitalize domestic production of technetium-99m, potentially create thousands of new jobs and save more lives by having this isotope readily available.   

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Argonne National Laboratory have developed a safe and affordable way to ensure a reliable U.S. supply of certain medical isotopes. Although the invention is at a conceptual stage, it has the potential to provide critical medical diagnostic material for small regional hospitals.

This innovative technology combines two Argonne patents: a superconducting cage-like radio frequency (RF) cavity and a dual electron linear accelerator in an energy-recovery configuration, says accelerator scientist John Noonan, one of the project’s principle investigators. The technology is estimated to cost between $500,000 and $2 million to build. Even at the high end of that price range, the technology pairing would be affordable for even small hospitals to purchase and operate, he says.

In comparison, a conventional superconducting electron linear accelerator has been proposed as a high-yield medical isotope source. The estimated cost is $150 million.

The technology’s affordability could help meet the growing demand for an already at-risk supply of technetium-99m (Tc-99m), Noonan says. The global supply of Tc-99m has been limited in recent years due to operational problems at the four aging nuclear reactors that produce 90% of the world’s Tc-99m.

Tc-99m is a vital diagnostic tool for nuclear medicine. When injected into the human body, technetium-99m can detect cancers and diseases of the heart, bone, and kidney.

The electron linear accelerator would also eliminate the need for nuclear safeguards since the accelerator can use the stable isotope molybdenum-100 instead of uranium to produce Tc-99m.

Electron linear accelerators are not limited to producing Tc-99m. There are a number of medical isotopes that can be generated using high energy electrons.

“Once commercialized, this accelerator technology has the potential to revitalize domestic production of technetium-99m, potentially create thousands of new jobs and save more lives by having this isotope readily available,” says Paul Betten, a program manager in Argonne’s Technology Development and Commercialization division.

Beyond the RF cage cavity’s use in the production of medical isotopes, Betten believes that DOE could be a major user of this technology by permitting larger accelerators to be built at a lower cost, but also make smaller accelerators available for research at universities. DOE is the largest supporter of accelerator research and development in the United States.

The RF cage cavity technology and the dual linac for medical isotopes are available for licensing.

Source: Argonne National Laboratory

Related Articles Read More >

Novel mass spectrometry solution simplifies insight gathering into macromolecular complexes
ENPICOM launches display solution to accelerate antibody selection while maximizing precision
Thermo Fisher Scientific autoimmune-testing instruments now available in the U.S.
Thermo Fisher Scientific and Qatar Genome Program partner to advance precision medicine 
2021 R&D Global Funding Forecast

Need R&D World news in a minute?

We Deliver!
R&D World Enewsletters get you caught up on all the mission critical news you need in research and development. Sign up today.
Enews Signup

R&D World Digital Issues

February 2020 issue

Browse the most current issue of R&D World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading R& magazine today.

Research & Development World
  • Subscribe to R&D World Magazine
  • Enews Sign Up
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • 2021 Global Funding Forecast

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search R&D World

  • Home Page
  • Topics
    • Aerospace
    • Archeology
    • Automotive
    • Biotech
    • Chemistry
    • COVID-19
    • Environment
    • Energy
    • Life Science
    • Material Science
    • R&D Market Pulse
    • R&D Management
    • Physics
  • Technology
    • 3D Printing
    • A.I./Robotics
    • Battery Technology
    • Controlled Environments
      • Cleanrooms
      • Graphene
      • Lasers
      • Regulations/Standards
      • Sensors
    • Imaging
    • Nanotechnology
    • Scientific Computing
      • Big Data
      • HPC/Supercomputing
      • Informatics
      • Security
      • Software
    • Semiconductors
  • 2021 R&D 100 Award Winners
    • R&D 100 Awards
    • 2020 Winners
    • Winner Archive
  • Resources
    • Digital Issues
    • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
  • Global Funding Forecast
  • Webinars