Nuclear medicine

How Nuclear Medicine Technology Works

Diagnosis of diseases, pain relief, therapy

Oncology

Main article: Cancer (cancer)

The main field of application of nuclear technologies is oncology:

• clarification of the diagnosis,
• determination of the extent of tumor spread and its metastases,
• differential diagnostics,
• evaluation of efficacy and selection of chemotherapy,
• follow-up and follow-up of treatment outcomes.

For 2020, treatment with isotopes gives the greatest effect for pain relief in multiple metastases. Modern radiopharmaceutical drugs are a drug that contains a radionuclide and a vector biological molecule that ensures the targeting of the delivery of this radionuclide to the focus of the disease. Thus, the synthesis of modern biotechnology and radiopharmaceuticals provided the possibility of radical targeted therapy in multiple common metastases, and not just anesthesia. That is, patients who were "unpromising" yesterday today got the opportunity to recover. These capabilities of nuclear medicine do not yet have another alternative^[1] in the fight^[2].

Cardiology, neurology, etc.

In second place in terms of the frequency of use of nuclear medicine technologies for 2020 - cardiology, neurology, endocrinology. The use of nuclear medicine technologies in other fields, for example, in transplantology, orthopedics, rheumatology, reconstructive surgery, disaster medicine, pharmacology and many others, is promising.

Sterilization of medical devices

Radiation technologies can offer technologies for sterilizing medical devices and laboratory systems for blood collection. These technologies allow you to destroy pathogens, spores, viruses, and so on.

Unlike all other types of sterilization, this method has sufficient penetrating ability. This allows you to process hermetically packaged products, for example, medical masks: generated streams of accelerated electrons are able to penetrate through the package without violating its integrity, which eliminates the possibility of repeated contamination of products. In addition, after processing the product with a stream of accelerated electrons, the articles immediately become usable. No degassing (unlike other sterilization methods) or other necessary actions are required before actual use. Do not forget about environmental friendliness - with this method of sterilization, there is no side chemical and other pollution during processing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, sterilization was carried out for a large volume of medical masks, which are needed as personal protective equipment for both medical workers and simply residents. Laboratory systems were sterilized for the collection of biological material and its subsequent transportation to laboratories specializing in the detection of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.

The principle of electron flow sterilization technology was implemented by Rusatom Healthcare at Sterion. All technological equipment for sterilization was produced by Rosatom enterprises:

• linear electron accelerator - at the Efremov Research Institute of Electrophysical Equipment;
• special conveyor - at the Research Institute of Technical Physics and Automation.

The volume of orders in a pandemic was such that the company was forced to function around the clock, in three shifts. Mainly orders from Russia, there are several customers from nearby countries.

Equipment for nuclear medicine

Main Article: Nuclear Medicine Equipment (Global Market)

Among the equipment in diagnostics, mainly single-photon emission computed tomographs (SPECT, capture gamma radiation) and positron emission tomographs (PET scanners) are used, and radio therapy prevails in treatment.

In Russia

Main article: Nuclear medicine in Russia

In the world

2024: A new material has been created to protect against radiation. It is safer than lead

At the end of May 2024, specialists from the Hefei Research Institute of Physical Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced the development of a new composite material to protect against radiation. It is claimed to be safer than lead and may find widespread application in nuclear medicine.

Lead is used for radiation protection in X-ray installations and in nuclear reactors: due to its high density, it effectively stops gamma and X-ray radiation. However, lead is toxic. Another drawback is the significant mass of the finished product. Chinese scientists have proposed an alternative based on samarium - a solid rare earth metal.

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Phys.org

In the course of the researchers, specialists synthesized a set of micron plates of Sm2O3 with various properties by the method of homogeneous co-precipitation. They were then used to reinforce the boron-containing polyethylene. As a result, it was possible to obtain a composite material that has high strength characteristics, good thermal stability and effectively protects against radiation.

Tests have shown that a 15 cm thick sheet of a new type of composite material can block 98.7% of neutron radiation from the 252Cf source and 72.1% of gamma radiation from the 137Cs source.

More research is needed on how the microstructure of materials affects their protective properties. It is noted that the development of fillers with specific characteristics based on rare earth metals can lead to the creation of more advanced means of protection against X-ray and gamma radiation. In the future, such materials can find applications in various fields, including medicine. The work done by Chinese researchers represents a new strategy for the development of radiation protection technologies in terms of materials science.^[3]

2023: Rosatom delivered the first batch of isotopes to India for the diagnosis of cancer

The state corporation Rosatom"" began supplying Russian isotope products in. India This was Zdrav.Expert reported by representatives of the Health Technologies division of the state corporation on July 5, 2023.

The first batch of germanium-68/gallium-68 (Ge-68/Ga-68) generators manufactured by CJSC Cyclotron (g) Obninsk was delivered "("Isotope All-Regional Association" part of the division) "Rusatom Healthcare" under a contract with local distributor medical destination products. Esente Healthcare More. here

2022: Russia and Egypt agree to jointly create drugs for nuclear medicine

"Rusatom Healthcare", a single integrator in the field of radiation technologies for medicine industries and in the contour of the State Corporation, "" and Rosatom the Egyptian pharmaceutical the company Pharco Pharmaceuticals agreed on the further development of cooperation and the implementation of joint projects. The companies signed the corresponding memorandum securing the intentions of the parties on June 5, 2022. More. here

2021: Rosatom agreed to build a nuclear technology center in Serbia

On December 9, 2021, an agreement was announced between Rosatom and the Serbian government. The agreement involves the construction of a nuclear technology center in this country, which will include nuclear medicine projects on the basis of a cyclotron complex, as well as facilities for the production of radiopharmaceuticals for three years. Read more here.

2020

Rosatom sends cyclotron made for Nuclear Research Institute to Thailand

From July 15 to July 17, 2020, at the site of JSC NIIEFA named after D.V. Efremova (St. Petersburg), the equipment included in the isochronous cyclotron SS-30/15 was shipped. Nine containers with a total weight of 120 tons went to the Thai province of Nakhonnayok. This Zdrav.Expert became known on July 18, 2020. Read more here.

Rosatom has created a cyclotron complex in Thailand for the production of radiopharmaceuticals

On March 30, 2020, Zdrav.Expert became known that Rusatom Helskea conducted acceptance tests of the cyclotron complex for the needs of nuclear medicine in Thailand. Radiopharmaceuticals, which can be synthesized in the radiochemical laboratory of the Thai complex, will provide an opportunity to carry out highly effective diagnosis and therapy of a wide range of diseases in the field of oncology and cardiology. Read more here.

Market size $13.2 billion

The global market for nuclear medicine in 2019 amounted to $13.2 billion, by 2030 it will reach $33.3 billion, approximately equal in value by the volume of production of equipment and radiopharmaceuticals^[4].

2018: Risk of cataracts in nuclear medicine workers

The February 2018 issue of Radiology published a study that found radiologists involved in nuclear medicine - both diagnostic and treatment procedures - had an 8% higher risk of developing cataracts than those who had never performed such procedures.

In recent decades, the number of nuclear procedures carried out annually has risen from 7 million in the early 1980s to 18 million in 2006. At the same time, procedures with a high dose of radiation, such as heart studies and PET, began to be used more often, the authors report. And specialists working in the field of nuclear medicine are forced to be in close contact with radioactive drugs during the preparation or injection.

Although the impact of radiation exposure among medical personnel has been widely studied, the impact of nuclear medicine procedures on radiologists has so far been under-reported. According to a 2008 report by the United Nations Scientific Committee (UN), although nuclear medicine workers make up only 5% of specialists exposed to radiation in the workplace, they receive 10% of the total radiation dose.

Radiologists involved in nuclear medicine - both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures - have an 8% higher risk of developing cataracts than those who have never performed such procedures

Cataract is a tissue response to radiation that can occur at 2 Gy thresholds, although some studies have suggested that cataract development may be induced at lower radiation levels as well. The researchers assessed the risk of cataracts among American radiologists based on their work records and radiation protection techniques used. The study authors used data from two surveys conducted in 2003-2005 and 2012-2013; overall, the surveys included 42,545 radiologists identified by the American Registry of Radiologists. These participants were followed for an average of 7.5 years and were followed from the time the first questionnaire was completed until the second questionnaire was completed or until cataract was detected. Overall, 7,137 cataract cases were identified among the study participants.

According to the analysis, 30% of participants performed nuclear medicine procedures at least once a week. The researchers found an increased risk of cataracts among radiologists who performed at least one nuclear medicine procedure compared to those who never performed such procedures: the risk increased by 7% in specialists who conducted diagnostic studies, and by 10% in those who were involved in medical procedures.

In addition, the risk of cataracts was higher for radiologists who performed diagnostic procedures in 1980-2000, compared to specialists who started work in the 1950s. Similarly, the risk was higher in radiologists involved in therapeutic procedures of nuclear medicine in 1970-2000, compared with specialists who worked before 1970.

Although the researchers found that in the 1980s the risk of developing cataracts in radiologists decreased slightly thanks to the application of protection during therapeutic procedures of nuclear medicine, in general, no association was found between the risk of developing cataracts and the use of radiation protection methods.

However, the authors note that the study had its own limitations; in particular, no individual professional dosimetric evaluation was performed. The authors believe the link between cataract risk and nuclear medicine procedures needs more research.

"To confirm and quantify the association between cataract development and these procedures, the key direction for further study should be to assess individual radiation doses," the researchers concluded.[5]

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