This book is the product of a congressionally mandated study to examine the feasibility of eliminating the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU2) in reactor fuel, reactor targets, and medical isotope production facilities. The book focuses primarily on the use of HEU for the production of the medical isotope molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), whose decay product, technetium-99m3 (Tc-99m), is used in the majority of medical diagnostic imaging procedures in the United States, and secondarily on the use of HEU for research and test reactor fuel.

The supply of Mo-99 in the U.S. is likely to be unreliable until newer production sources come online. The reliability of the current supply system is an important medical isotope concern; this book concludes that achieving a cost difference of less than 10 percent in facilities that will need to convert from HEU- to LEU-based Mo-99 production is much less important than is reliability of supply.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• COMMITTEE ON MEDICAL ISOTOPE PRODUCTION WITHOUT HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM
• NUCLEAR AND RADIATION STUDIES BOARD
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Reviewers
• Summary
• 1. Background and Study Task
  • STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE STUDY CHARGE
  • REPORT ROADMAP
• 2. Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Production and Use
  • MOLYBDENUM-99 USE IN NUCLEAR MEDICINE
  • Mo-99 PRODUCTION PROCESS
• 3. Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Supply
  • PAST PRODUCTION OF Mo-99 IN THE UNITED STATES
  • CURRENT Mo-99 SUPPLY
  • CURRENT Mo-99 PRODUCERS
  • POTENTIAL FUTURE SUPPLIERS OF Mo-99
  • B&W (USA)
  • MURR (USA)
  • Other Potential Future Suppliers of Molybdenum-99
  • Tc-99m SUPPLY IN THE UNITED STATES
  • Mo-99/Tc-99m SUPPLY CHAINS
  • SUMMARY
• 4. Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Supply Reliability
  • MOLYBDENUM-99 SUPPLY RELIABILITY: GENERAL ISSUES
  • LEU CONVERSION
  • FINDINGS
• 5. Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Demand
  • CURRENT DEMAND FOR Mo-99
  • PROJECTED DEMAND FOR MOLYBDENUM-99
  • FACTORS THAT COULD AFFECT PROJECTED DEMAND
  • FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
• 6. Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m Production Costs
  • APPROACHES USED TO ESTIMATE COSTS
  • DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
• 7. Conversion to LEU-Based Production of Molybdenum-99: Technical Considerations
  • TARGET DESIGN AND PROCESSING
  • RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) TO SUPPORT TARGET CONVERSION
  • FINDINGS
• 8. Conversion to LEU-Based Production of Molybdenum-99: Regulatory Considerations
  • PHYSICAL SECURITY FOR HEU
  • DRUG QUALITY AND PURITY
  • COMMERCIAL SALE OF RADIOPHARMACEUTICALS
  • FINDINGS
• 9. Conversion to LEU-Based Production of Molybdenum-99: General Approaches and Timing
  • GENERAL APPROACHES FOR CONVERSION
  • TIMING FOR CONVERSION
  • FINDINGS
• 10. Conversion to LEU-Based Production of Molybdenum-99: Prospects and Feasibility
  • CURRENT STATUS OF CONVERSION
  • CONVERSION FEASIBILITY
  • ADDITIONAL STEPS TO IMPROVE THE FEASIBILITY OF CONVERSION
  • FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
• 11. Progress in Eliminating HEU Use
  • RERTR PROGRESS: 1978–2004
  • RERTR PROGRESS: 2004 TO PRESENT
  • FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
• References
• Appendix A Section 630 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
• Appendix B Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
• Appendix C Presentations and Visits
• Appendix D Alternative Molybdenum-99 Production Processes
• Appendix E Correspondence with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
• Appendix F Present Value Calculation
• Appendix G. Glossary
• Appendix H Acronyms

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by Contract/Grant No. DE-AM01-04PI45013 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Energy. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.