The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) issued an alert, Wednesday Oct. 31 warning members of an expected shortage of Mo-99 during the first half of November, according to a news release.
In South Africa, the NTP facility which has had problems since late last year had yet to resume service. That shutdown will overlap with a planned 11-day shutdown of the OPAL reactor in Australia which started Oct. 29, according to the release. SNMMI is expecting “significant” shortages of Mo-99 starting in early November.
“With significant shortages anticipated, it is essential that users contact their generator/nuclear pharmacy providers for advice about their local situation,” the release read.
SNMMI urges its members to post the update on SNMMI Connect so the society’s leadership can use the information in forthcoming discussions with the U.S. Department of Energy on expanding domestic production of Mo-99.
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.