Abstract

The use of radionuclides produced from nuclear reactors has become ingrained in the healthcare of patients. A supply issue in 2010 brought the world to a critical realization about the future of nuclear medicine. During times of supply issues, some patients will not receive key medical procedures and for the most urgent patients it’s a matter of life and death. Currently, the oldest medical reactors produce most of the world’s supply. The manufacturing and infrastructure requirements for producing specific isotopes will be discussed. We will also discuss how the production and shortage of one radionuclide, Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), created long-term effects in the entire supply chain. Now is the new age for medical isotope production and it will take creativity and adaptability to ensure the viability of nuclear medicine.