2 Nov (NucNet): Canada’s National Research Universal (NRU) research reactor is marking a half-century milestone since achieving criticality for the first time at 06.10 hours on 3 November 1957.
“The NRU reactor’s most important contribution to health is without a doubt the cobalt 60 it produces,” said Alastair McIvor, research council officer at the National Research Council’s Canadian Neutron Beam Centre.
The NRU produces a range of radioisotopes that are used to cure disease or produce images of millions of patients every year, said Mr McIvor. “Cobalt 60 accounts for 16 million cancer therapy treatments. Fifty-years on, the NRU reactor continues to produce most of the world’s medical isotopes used in both the diagnosis and treatment of life-threatening diseases.”
The NRU is a multipurpose research reactor and Canada’s main facility for nuclear power research and materials research. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) said it also produces several longer-lived isotopes used for medical imaging and cancer therapy to the benefit of more than 76,000 people each day.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Licence Renewal For Canada’s MAPLE Reactors (News No. 184, 6 December 2005)
Isotopes Deal Paves Way For Completion Of Canadian Research Reactors (World Nuclear Review No. 8, 24 February 2006)
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