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Every day, more than 30,000 people are treated in hospitals with medical isotopes from Petten. They are used for diagnosing or treating various diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In order to guarantee the availability of these isotopes in the future, NRG PALLAS is preparing for the construction of the PALLAS-reactor. The new reactor will replace the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in a few years and take over the production. But what is a medical isotope? And why is it so important that it continues to be produced? You can read about it in this article.

Proud of the Netherlands
Worldwide, there are fewer than six reactors suitable for producing large volumes of medical isotopes. The HFR in Petten has been one of them for decades. Today, approximately 70% of all medical isotopes in Europe and 30% of the isotopes globally are produced in the HFR. This gives the Netherlands a unique position and an important role. However, the HFR is aging and requires more and more maintenance. That is why we are building the PALLAS-reactor, so we can continue to produce and innovate.

What is a medical isotope?
Medical isotopes are radioactive substances and form the basis for nuclear medicines used in hospitals. For example, performing a SPECT scan, they help in visualizing organs and tissues to detect conditions early. They are also used therapeutically to treat specific diseases, such as certain types of cancer, through targeted radiation.

Dr. Wouter Vogel, nuclear medicine specialist at the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek hospital  (The Netherlands Cancer Institute), explains: "For a treatment, we use radioactive substances (isotopes) that decay over time and emit a light signal as they do. That light signal can be seen on the scanner. This way, we can track the radioactive substances in the body and see where they go. This gives us insight into a disease. In this way, we can also treat it."

The isotope “runs out”
For every patient who needs a scan or treatment, new radioactive substances must be produced in the reactor. Why? The radiation emitted by a radioactive substance, which is necessary for the doctor to use, gradually decreases during use. So, the isotope "runs out." You cannot store radioactive substances. That is why it is crucial to always have enough production capacity to make medical isotopes.

“We have had great new radioactive substances available in recent years. However, the problem is that we have to work with an old reactor. Sometimes it requires extra maintenance. As a result, we experience periods, like in 2009, with a global shortage of radioactive substances. This is very unfortunate because during these times, we can't provide everyone with the best possible diagnosis or treatment at the right moment,” says Wouter.

Innovations
In the future, the PALLAS-reactor will not only ensure the continuity of the production of existing medical isotopes, but research into new isotopes and applications will also be of great importance. Wouter says about this: "The new reactor is very important to make new types of isotopes available, with which we can create new substances that can detect and treat other types of cancer."

Important for the future
In 2025, an estimated 35 million people will be diagnosed with cancer, according to the World Health Organization. This is a 77% increase compared to the 20 million cases in 2022. As a result, the demand for medical isotopes is growing significantly. With the arrival of the PALLAS-reactor, we will be able to meet this growing demand and help millions of people in the Netherlands and worldwide over the next 50 years.

The construction of the new PALLAS-reactor in Petten is crucial for the continuity of medical isotope production in the Netherlands and worldwide. These isotopes are essential for diagnosing and treating various diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases.