DOE Opens Narrow Window for Research Isotope Requests

Journal of Nuclear Medicine, The, Oct 2009

On Monday, August 31, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Isotope Development and Production Research and Applications Program/Office of Nuclear Physics issued a request for information on the research commun- ity's needs for isotope supplies. The announcement noted that the request was being made "to develop an appro- priate production schedule and to evaluate volume and frequency of the production of research isotopes." Researchers with needs for specific isotopes for scientific investigations were urged to provide information on an accompanying form that was to be returned to the Isotope Business Office by September 8 (less than 5 business days after the request for information was issued).

An accompanying update on recent activities noted mat the Office of Nuclear Physics is working to better gauge researchers' needs by establishing working groups with other federal agencies as well as through interactions between researchers and Isotope Program staff, data obtained from site visits, and attendance at society exhibitions (including SNM). As one example of such activities, the Office of Nuclear Physics assembled a DOE and National Institutes of Health federal working group to address the recommendations of the recent National Academies report, Advancing Nuclear Medicine through Innovation, which identified several areas in isotope production that merit attention.

The Office of Nuclear Physics is also establishing cooperative isotope supply contracts with universities to increase the DOE's ability to meet researchers' requests by improving product availability and reliability in a cost-effective manner. Isotopes for research purposes will be produced following a production schedule that integrates production capabilities and capacities at various university and DOE national laboratory sites. The Isotope Program is also making efforts to reduce the price of research isotopes.

A list of available isotopes for 20 10 and the near future was included with the August 31 request for information along with a note that "other isotopes will be considered if demand warrants investments in development and production." Currently available research isotopes include: ^sup 225^Ac, ^sup 72^As, ^sup 73^As, ^sup 7^Be, ^sup 86^Br, ^sup 64^Cu, ^sup 166^Ho, ^sup 52^Fe, ^sup 28^Mg, ^sup 203^Pb, ^sup 177^Lu, ^sup 153^Sm, ^sup 72^Se, ^sup 22^Na, ^sup 188^W/^sup 188^Re, ^sup 86^Y, ^sup 88^Y, ^sup 65^Zn, and ^sup 89^Zr. Research isotopes in process development to be available within 2 y include: ^sup 227^Ac, ^sup 74^As, ^sup 211^At, ^sup 67^Cu, ^sup 148^Gd, ^sup 153^Gd, ^sup 140^Nd, ^sup 32^Si, and ^sup 83^Rb. Information about other commercial isotopes is available at www.ornl.gov/isotopes/catalog.htm.

U.S. Department of Energy