PROCEEDINGS OF THE 7 INTERNATIONAL ... - Fizika

MEDICAL PHYSICS IN THE BALTIC STATES 7 (2009)
Proceedings of the International Conference “Medical Physics 2009”
9 - 10 October 2009, Kaunas, Lithuania
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL FEATURES AND APPLICATIONS
OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND MEDICAL DEVICES DEVELOPED IN THE
"ATOMMED" CENTER
Alexander Kuznetsov
Atommed center, 115 230, Moscow, Varshavskoye shausse, 46, 115 230, Russia
1. Automated set of equipment designed to produce a solution of Tc-99
The solution of technetium is the main diagnostic radiopharmaceutical used in the radiochemical laboratories
for the determination of cancer tumors. Its consumption is steadily increasing each year.
However, there is a number of objective reasons, which make it difficult to obtain this solution and to use it in
medical institutions. Mo-99 is traditionally used to obtain a solution of Tc-99, but Mo-99 in turn is obtained by dividing
the U-235 in a nuclear reactor. Reactors all over the world including Russia have annually stops because they work out
their resource exploitation. In addition preventive work within two months is carried out on each reactor. All this leads
to disruption of supply of feedstock, to noticeable rise in the cost of raw materials, and as a result to impossibility of
carrying out diagnostic procedures. It is also worth noting that the solution of Tc-99, obtained by traditional method is
of low quality, and 20% of researches conducted with its use are not informative.
The proposed methodology and a set of equipment have several advantages, as a feedstock uses natural MoO3
(Molybdenum Oxide), which has no restrictions for its holdings and use. This allows:
- to minimize the dependence of the production of Tc-99 solution from the supply of Mo-99 from nuclear
reactors (i.e. from the technological breaks and annual stops of the reactors, from the steady decrease in the number of
operating reactors, etc.)
- to ensure a stable operation of the medical units
- to make the process of obtaining a solution of Tc-99 cheaper
Proposed set of equipment can be installed in any radiochemical laboratory of medical institution covering
about 30 square meters. From this center it is also possible to supply clinics located at a distance of 50-100 km with
prepared solution of Tc-99 with a given activity for specific diagnostic studies.
The quality of the resulting solution of Tc-99 is fully consistent with international standards for pH, specific
activity, the content of Mo-99, impurities, etc.
2. High energy micro source based on Ytterbium-169.
The project declares the development of isotope production for medical use in brachytherapy of breast cancer.
Used high energy micro source is a titanium capsule containing a radioisotope Yb-169.
The most widespread method of cancer therapy in Russia and all around the world is surgical removal of the
tumor and surrounding tissue (usually the entire organ) followed by a course of radio / chemotherapy.
Special value of high energy micro source application lies in the possibility of cancer treatment, which saves
organs (primarily breast cancer). Combined treatment using high energy micro source allows to preserve organs, and it
is critical for patients.
The main advantages of the proposed high energy micro source based on Yb-169 are:
3. • softer emission spectrum (63-217 keV), compared to the possible source of Ir-172 or Co-60
4. • the possibility of using high energy micro source for the treatment of superficial cancers, as well as
for the treatment of cancers of "head-neck" area.
It is necessary to solve the question on the adoptation of domestic equipment to use new sources and/or
evaluate the possibility of using foreign equipment for the same purpose.
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