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[Return to: Solving Canada's medical isotope crisis]
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An electron beam from a linear accelerator is used to produce high-energy X-rays. |  |
X-rays irradiate a target consisting of molybdenum-100 (Mo-100) discs, striking the nucleus of a molybdenum-100 atom and knocking out a neutron to create molybdenum-99 (Mo-99). |
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This leaves molybdenum-100 and molybdenum-99. The molybdenum-99 will then decay into technetium-99m (Tc-99m). |
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A radionuclide separator extracts the technetium-99m from the molybdenum-100. The remaining molybdenum-100 can then be recycled. |  |
Technetium-99m can now be injected into patients undergoing diagnostic tests. |
