Crucial substance shortage disrupts diagnostic testing at UZ Leuven
Due to a temporary shortage of technetium-99m, a crucial substance for diagnostic tests, UZ Leuven's nuclear medicine department is receiving only half of its usual supply. The shortage stems from a technical issue at the high-flux reactor (HFR) in Petten, in the north of the Netherlands, which is currently offline.
“This is still manageable for a few weeks for certain conditions, but it absolutely cannot last longer,” said Koen Van Laere, professor and head of the department at UZ Leuven.
The reactor is one of only six in the world that produce technetium generators from molybdenum, the mother isotope. Hospitals like UZ Leuven process technetium on site to produce radiopharmaceuticals, which are essential for various nuclear diagnostic tests.
Two other reactors, one in Mol, Belgium, and one in Poland, are undergoing scheduled maintenance, leaving them unable to compensate for the Petten outage. Typically, maintenance schedules are coordinated to avoid disruptions, but the unexpected technical failure in Petten has led to a significant shortage, particularly affecting Europe.
Postponed medical tests
"The problem has been ongoing for about a week to 10 days," said Van Laere. In Belgium, two suppliers handle technetium distribution, and one is heavily reliant on the Petten reactor.
“At UZ Leuven, we alternate between suppliers, so we are still receiving half of the normal amount, which allows most examinations to continue. However, some hospitals are receiving very little product, which has forced them to postpone tests.”
Technetium-99m is indispensable in nuclear medicine, with 40 to 50 per cent of UZ Leuven’s nuclear diagnostic exams using it. In hospitals without PET scan capabilities, this reliance can be even higher.
Technetium is critical for various scans, including bone scans to detect cancer metastases, pre-surgical gland imaging for breast tumours and assessments of sports injuries. It’s also used for diagnosing lung diseases, heart conditions and brain disorders.
The shortage is expected to be resolved by mid-November. “We certainly hope so. A few weeks of reduced technetium supply is acceptable for some conditions, but this can't drag on,” Van Laere said. “Patients needing cancer treatment can’t wait two months for an accurate diagnosis.”
If the shortage persists, Van Laere suggests exploring alternatives, such as increasing production at reactors in South Africa and Australia, the only non-European sources of technetium. Another possibility is shifting more diagnostic work to PET scans, which could replace some technetium-based tests.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO IMAGEBROKER
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