..Pablo Malo Segura.
The tecnecio It is the most widely used radioisotope in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures (scans) in patients with tumor, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic and other organ processes. It is obtained from a molybdenum generator 99Mo-99mTc and in the radiopharmacy of nuclear medicine services is used for the manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals that will be used to perform the scans. «The technical problems in the supply of molybdenum necessary for the manufacture of the generators have caused the shortage of technetium to carry out diagnostic procedures in nuclear medicine services», explain it Dr. María José García Vellosopresident of the Spanish Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (I’m taking off) and specialist in nuclear medicine at the University of Navarra Clinic (WITH).
Dr. García Velloso: “Thousands of patients are affected by the delay or impossibility of performing the scintigraphic studies that allow clinical decision-making in medical, surgical or radiotherapy treatment”
As a consequence, he points out thatthousands of patients are affected by the delay or impossibility of performing scintigraphic studies that allow the clinical decision making in medical, surgical or radiotherapy treatment”. The technetium shortage stems from technical problems at reactors that produce molybdenum generators for medical purposes. «In There is no production of these generators in Spain and we depend on their importation»indica.
In the last week, a massive global molybdenum shortage has caused a significant reduction of its availability for use in nuclear medicine, which might be null as of next week. «It is expected that the situation normalizes by November 23but it depends on the fact that there are no new incidents»informs the president of the Semnim.
It therefore regrets that the implementation of nuclear medicine tests using technetium-labelled radiopharmaceuticals will be limited. «While molybdenum is scarce they must Prioritize patients with more serious pathologies or cannot be delayed for clinical reasons. At the time the supply of molybdenum generators is cut off, if it is not possible to wait until it is restored, they must consider alternative diagnostic tests in patients who require it»he says.
“While molybdenum is scarce, priority should be given to patients with more serious pathologies or those who cannot be delayed for clinical reasons,” says the president of Semnim
What patients can be affected?
As the president of Semnim explains, “the Technetium shortage limits exploration as the Bone scintigraphy (detection of tumor or infectious pathology of bones and joints), cardiac (detection of ischemia and myocardial infarction, impaired ventricular function), pulmonary (detection of thromboembolism in the lungs), renal (detection of problems in kidney function and kidney transplants) hepatic (abnormalities in the functioning of the liver and in the bile ducts), cerebral (Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia), parathyroid (tumor detection) and others functional studies of the rest of the organs.
The scarcity of technetium limits the performance of examinations such as bone, cardiac, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, brain, parathyroid (tumor detection) scintigraphy and other functional studies of the rest of the organs.
Dr. García Velloso assures that the nuclear medicine services are working to prioritize patients with more serious pathologies. «Semnim wants to thank the technetium supply companies in Spain for their hard work to alleviate the consequences of the current shortage», precise. Finally, she recalls that the new Samira plan of the European Union establishes the need to ensure the supply of radioisotopes for medical purposes in the medium and long termwith the purpose of maintain patient access to essential medical procedures.