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Medical Isotope Production Without Highly Enriched Uranium (2009) / Chapter Skim
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1 Background and Study Task
Pages 7-15

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From page 7...
... 4. The potential cost differential in medical isotope production in the reactors and target processing facilities if the products were derived from production systems that do not involve fuels and targets with HEU.
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From page 8...
... Two enrichment processes are in commercial use today: an older and less efficient gaseous diffusion process that was developed during World War II and is still being used in the United States; and a more effi­cient gas centrifuge process that is being used in Europe, Russia, and other countries. Two centrifuge facilities are currently being constructed in the United States.
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From page 9...
... • The average anticipated total cost increase from production of medical isotopes in such facilities without the use of HEU is less than 10 percent. During the negotiations between the National Academies and the sponsoring organization within DOE (the National Nuclear Security Adminis
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From page 10...
... ) , it was jointly agreed that the following task would also be included as part of this study: If the National Academies determine that the procurement of medical isotopes from commercial sources is not feasible as defined in Section 630 of the Energy Policy Act, it should estimate the magnitude of the cost dif ferential and identify additional steps that could be taken by the Depart ment of Energy and medical isotope producers to improve the feasibility of such conversions.
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From page 11...
... If the National Academies determine that the procurement of medical iso topes from commercial sources is not feasible as defined in Section 630 of the Energy Policy Act, it should estimate the magnitude of the cost differential and identify additional steps that could be taken by DOE and medical isotope p ­ roducers to improve the feasibility of such conversions. In estimating the mag nitude of cost differentials, consideration should be given to facilities utilized by both large and small producers.
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From page 12...
... , the Commission determines that -- (A) a recipient country that supplies an assurance letter to the United States Government in connection with the con sideration by the Commission of the export license application has informed that United States Government that any intermediate consignees and that ultimate consignee specified in the application are required to use the highly enriched uranium solely to produce medical isotopes; and (B)
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From page 13...
... The committee consists of 14 members with expertise that spans the issues relevant to the study task: chemistry, chemical and nuclear engineering, radiochemistry, construction and infrastructure management, economics, isotope production, nuclear medicine, nuclear security, radioactive waste management, and risk assessment. In selecting the membership of this committee, the National Research Council sought to obtain a balance between members with experience in the production and use of medical isotopes and members with relevant disciplinary expertise but no direct medical isotope experience.
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From page 14...
... This informa­tion primarily addressed issues such as isotope production processes, future plans, and potential barriers to conversion from HEU to LEU. None of the proprietary information received by the National Academies appears in this report.
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From page 15...
... These estimates are used in the feasibility assessment that appears in Chapter 10. • Several considerations for conversion of reactor targets from HEU to LEU are discussed in Chapters 7–9: technical (Chapter 7)
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Key Terms

  • isotope production
  • medical isotopes
  • enriched uranium
  • reactor fuel
  • highly enriched

  • energy policy
  • policy act
  • nuclear reactor
  • alternative nuclear
  • target processing

  • states government
  • processing facilities
  • nuclear explosive
  • production facilities
  • cost differential

  • study task
  • critical mass
  • nuclear reactors
  • reactor targets
  • nuclear security

  • low enriched
  • academies determine
  • potential cost
  • produce significant
  • total cost

  • cost increase
  • average anticipated
  • targets irradiated
  • proprietary information
  • significant quantities


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