Mistake cuts supply of medical isotopes

Dec. 7, 2007 (KGO) (KGO) -- A nuclear blunder cuts off the supply of isotopes to the worlds hospitals, cancelling some tests for cancer and heart disease.

Thousands of patients in the U.S., Canada and countries around the world had their heart disease and cancer medical tests postponed because a Canadian nuclear reactor that produces radioisotopes has been shut down for repairs.

It provides more than two-thirds of the world's demand for medical isotopes.

That nuclear reactor in Canada produces most of the base isotopes for Technetium 99, which is the most commonly used isotope in medical testing.

We've been checking with bay area hospitals, and those which gotten back to us, say that so far, its had little or no impact.

But Stanford hospital tells ABC7 News that if this shortage continues, it'll affect diagnostic testing here as well and they'' have to find a new source.

You can't see it. But in the vials are powerful radioactive material that helps doctors diagnose and treat illnesses, like heart disease and cancer.

Dr. Randall Hawkins is head of nuclear medicine at UCSF.

"One example would be a bone scan. This is a scan that is often times done in patients with tumors to look for a metastasis in different parts of the body. There are also certain types of heart scans that are associated with treadmill of other types of examinations to detect coronary artery diseases.

Now there's a critical shortage of these medical radio-isotopes.

"One gap in gap in service has provided a nationwide if not worldwide shortage of an essential medical diagnostic product," said Dr. Sandor Demeter from the Canadian Society of Nuclear Medicine.

Two-thirds of the world's supply of medical isotopes is produced at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratory in Ontario.

But the aging plant shut down in mid-November for repairs and inspectors found MORE problems extending the closure until mid January.

Problem is: there are few suppliers in the world. With the largest now out of commission, isotopes can't be stockpiled because they must be used quickly.

At the University Health Network in Toronto, the isotopes are used in about 100 patients every single day.

Officials hope to secure a new supplier for this weekend.

"If we don't get supply we may end up with a week gap in treatment. Meaning some surgeries may be cancelled next week and hopefully that won't be the case," said Dr. Robert Bell from the University Health Network.

Atomic Energy of Canada, which owns the reactors, will be meeting with government officials Thursday.

Two new reactors that were supposed to replace the old ones are 10 years behind schedule and still not ready to begin operations, leaving doctors asking "why."

"We shouldn't be in this position. There should have been enough forethought to work out contingencies," said Dr. Demeter.

"I think it's going to have an effect across the U.S. too because most of the hospital in this country get that isotope from the same source in Canada," said Dr. Hawkins.

Dr. Hawkins says UCSF's supplier is trying to help make up for the shortage by going to other suppliers, for instance there's another one in South Africa.

And Dr. Hawkins says some radioactive tests can use other isotopes as substitutes. Still, by one estimate, Technetium 99 is used in at least 15 million medical scans a year in the United States.

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