Experts are hopeful that the portable scanner could improve access to neuroimaging used in the diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease.

The U.S currently does not have any large-scale commercial production of the isotope Mo-99 used for nuclear imaging. It is critical to more 40,000 nuclear imaging exams each day, representing about 80% of all diagnostic molecular imaging procedures.  

The announcement will come as welcome news, as nuclear medicine departments in numerous regions have been grappling with shortages of Mo-99 and Tc-99m.

"This can't drag on. Patients needing cancer treatment can’t wait two months for an accurate diagnosis.” 

The facility will provide much needed developmental and manufacturing support for pharmaceutical companies that produce and distribute medical isotopes.

By binding the substance to a radiotracer, experts were able to improve the accuracy of identifying these tumors by as much as 30% compared to the standard of care.

The supply of Mo-99 and Tc-99m—the most commonly utilized medical isotopes in the world—could be cut by as much as 40% until the reactor in the Netherlands is up and running again.

The impending shortage pertains to molybdenum-99, or Mo-99. A structural issue has occurred with a pipe within the high-flux reactor in Petten, Netherlands, which will require an immediate repair.