NorthStar Medical Technologies, LLC, Beloit, USA
Tc-99m is an essential radionuclide for nearly 40,000 diagnostic nuclear medicine tests in the U.S. each day. Its daily production depends on Mo-99, which must be replenished weekly due to Mo-99’s 2.75 day half-life. Mo-99, in the past, was supplied from uranium fission production, depending on overseas nuclear reactors that average 50 years old. Their age in combination with shipment uncertainties make the availability of Mo-99 fragile and subject to severe shortages. The U.S. now has one domestic, FDA-approved supplier that produces Mo-99, NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes. Currently, NorthStar produces Mo-99 via the irradiation of Mo-98 in a nuclear reactor. In the future, NorthStar will also irradiate Mo-100 with accelerator created x-rays to produce Mo-99. This process will use 2 distinct, 40 MeV, 125 kW average electron accelerators, Rhodotrons produced by IBA. Accelerator produced Mo-99 has several advantages over that produced by reactors, including a dual supply and an ability to adjust irradiation timing to meet radiopharmacy demands, such as Sunday delivery. NorthStar is currently installing and commissioning this accelerator based system, entering production in late-2022.
