Maintenance and repair of radioactive plants will lead to the shortage of radio isotope Technetium-99 required in medical procedures and treatment.

Three radioactive plants, which produce Molybdenum-99 that is used for the production of Technetium-99 will be undergoing maintenance and refueling leading to a worldwide shortage of the isotope.

The health of numerous patients in U. S and Canada could be in peril owing to this shortage. The information was released by the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM).

The three reactors are located in Belgium, France and South Africa. Since the shutting down of Canada's NRU reactor at Chalk River, Ontario and the Petten reactor in Netherland the bulk of the burden of production of Technetium-99 was on the reactors in Belgium, France and South Africa.

The temporary shutdown of these reactors will thereby lead to a grave shortage. The critical period starts from Sunday April 11.

SNM spokesman Dr. Robert Atcher said, “We're predicting that there will be a minimum of 30,000 patients a day that are not going to be able to be imaged because we won't have the Technetium available".

SNM is hopeful that they will be able to bridge the shortage gap with the help of emergency services.