Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) is scheduled to begin an ultrasound scan of the interior of its Chalk River, Ontario, nuclear reactor to determine how to repair the 50-year-old facility.
On May 22, AECL noted that it had removed the leftover supply of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) from the reactor and planned to process the remaining medical isotope material.
AECL took the reactor offline after it discovered a water leak at the base of the reactor vessel on May 15. Now AECL is considering options to reduce the water leak rate while inspections with remote imaging devices are ongoing and repairs are considered.
In the meantime, healthcare providers are bracing for a shortage of Mo-99 as soon as this week. Only five nuclear reactors in the world produce the medical isotope, with Chalk River providing a majority of Mo-99 to North America.
Related Reading
Hospitals brace for shortage of medical isotopes, May 22, 2009
Reimbursement, molybdenum-99 shortage top SNM agenda, May 22, 2009
Report: Chalk River reactor future in doubt, May 21, 2009
AECL shuts down reactor again, May 19, 2009
Moly crisis leads to price hike for Lantheus technetium generators, May 15, 2009
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