Advancing Nuclear Medicine
Yttrium-90
About yttrium-90
For the production of yttrium-90, yttrium-89 is irradiated in the reactor. The product that comes out of the reactor has a half-life of 2.66 days and it decays to the stable isotope zirconium-90. This makes it a suitable isotope for Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT). The treatment is used for indications in the liver: inoperable hepatocellular carcinomas and liver metastases. Y-90 has also been proven to be effective among others in radiosynoviorthesis.
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More information about yttrium-90?
Marjolijn Droog
Business manager Isotopes
What solutions does yttrium-90 offer?
Primary liver cancer and liver metastases
Primary liver cancer and liver metastases can be treated using a medical device called microspheres. These small radioactive particles are injected into the liver artery with the help of a catheter. In the liver, the spheres will reach the tumor where they are permanently implanted. For the next days, they will emit beta particles that will kill the tumor. The treatment can be applied before liver surgery or a transplantation. Its aim is to reduce the size of the tumor to make it easier to remove the tumor during surgery.
We are responsible for the irradiation of isotopes for Theraspheres™, a product of Boston Scientific. It is the leading supplier of Y-90 microspheres worldwide.
Synovitis
When a patient is diagnosed with synovitis, the synovial membrane is inflamed. This is a thin layer on the inside of a joint. It limits the mobility of the joint and can be painful. An intra articular infection with radioactive particles, for example Y-90, can reduce inflammation. Healthy tissue will not be damaged with this form of therapy. Other radioisotopes that are suitable for this type of treatment are erbium-169 and rhenium-186. The choice of isotope can depend on the size of the joint and the path length of the radiation
Yttrium-90 production
We are involved in the production of medical isotopes for medical devices used in radioembolization for a long time. Both yttrium-90 and holmium-166 are part of NRG’s product portfolio. Our full-service approach includes preparing irradiation capsules, irradiation, waste handling and logistics.
Our state-of-the-art hot cell laboratories and radiochemical laboratories on one location make it possible to assist in research & development up to upscaling production.
- Internationally recognized
- 1 hour from Schiphol
- Good solubility
- The world's largest producer of Mo-99
- Complete production chain in one location, Unique in Europe
- Europe's only low enriched uranium production process (LEU)