Manitobans tout low-cost isotope plan

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This article was published 01/08/2009 (5984 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — Pinawa’s nuclear facility may be Manitoba’s ticket to isotope production after all.

Atomic Energy of Canada told the Free Press last month it has no plans to build a nuclear reactor at its centre in Pinawa to help with the world’s shortage of medical isotopes.

But a non-profit partnership from Manitoba this week proposed to Ottawa that for $35 million, it can use an existing accelerator at Pinawa to begin producing medical isotopes within three years.

"We think we can meet the Canadian demand (for isotopes)," said Chris Saunders, CEO of Acsion Industries, one of the main players in the proposal.

Acsion, the University of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, along with a handful of others, have formed the Prairie Isotope Production Enterprise, or PIPE.

They submitted a proposal to the federal government, which is seeking alternative producers of medical isotopes due to ongoing problems with the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ont. That reactor usually produces one-third of the world’s supply of medical isotopes, used for diagnosis and treatment of cancers, heart disease and other ailments.

The Chalk River reactor is shut down at least until the end of the year and some fear it may never be repaired. Ottawa had a July 31 deadline for proposals from potential new suppliers.

The PIPE submission proposes initially using Acsion’s particle accelerator, which is located at the decommissioned nuclear facility in Pinawa.

Right now, that accelerator is used mainly for sterilization of medical and agricultural products.

Using an accelerator to produce medical isotopes is a new process and has only been tested at a few facilities in the U.S. It produces no nuclear waste and leftover material is recycled to create new isotopes.

Electrical fields are used to accelerate particles into high-energy beams, which are then fired at molybdenum metal, producing the isotope molybdenum-99.

That isotope can be further processed using radiochemistry into technetium-99, which is injected into patients for the diagnosis and treatment of certain cancers and heart disease.

Saunders said it’s been known for a while that this process had potential to produce isotopes. But with research reactors like Chalk River more than capable of producing enough isotopes to meet world demand, there was no need until now to pursue the accelerator process.

Saunders said the country’s supply of isotopes will only be stable if there is more than one source, which is why PIPE also wants to work with Saskatchewan. Premier Brad Wall has proposed building a new nuclear reactor to produce isotopes in that province. But the Saskatchewan plan would cost between $500 million and $1.5 billion, and will take many years for licensing and construction of a new nuclear facility.

PIPE proposes to use the existing Pinawa accelerator to prove the process works, then build a new accelerator at the University of Winnipeg for a permanent isotope supply. The radiochemical processing would be done at Health Sciences Centre, which is why the WRHA is involved.

Saunders said about 30 to 40 new jobs would be created in Manitoba.

The proposal seeks $35 million in funding from Ottawa for technology and design, construction and commissioning.

Jeff Martin, a University of Winnipeg physics professor, said the new accelerator would need its own building and would likely be located near the university’s new science complex.

Because it doesn’t produce nuclear waste, an accelerator is far easier to build because it doesn’t need the same licensing approval as a nuclear reactor.

"I wouldn’t want to try to build a new radioactive reactor in Winnipeg," he said.

A spokesman for the Manitoba government said the province is supportive of PIPE, but thus far is not involved in the proposal.

Ottawa plans to release in November the results of its call for proposals for new isotope production.

Dr. Sandor Demeter, head of nuclear medicine at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, said if the project turns out to be feasible, it would be a good fit for the WRHA, both in terms of supplying isotopes for patients and taking advantage of the skills of its staff.

"We’re quite happy to be involved," Demeter said. "It would be wonderful."

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca

Tests delayed

 

What is a medical isotope?

 

IT is a safe radioactive substance that emits energy detected by specialized scanners. Those scanners can track the isotope as it moves in the body, giving a more complete picture of what is going on and helping to diagnose diseases.

Isotopes can also be used to treat certain diseases, after being implanted in the body to deliver small amounts of radiation to help zap cancer cells.

 

Why is there a problem?

 

ABOUT one-third of the world’s supply of medical isotopes is usually produced at the nuclear reactor at Chalk River, Ont. That reactor is shut down until at least the end of the year because of a leak. There are very few other sources for medical isotopes in the world and the Chalk River shutdown has created a worldwide shortage, cancelling and delaying medical tests.

The Liberals Friday released a survey showing that of more than 100 hospitals and clinics called, 83 per cent experienced a shortage, and more than half said the shortage was significant.

Manitoba gets its isotopes from a different source and is not having any difficulty at the moment.