Radiopharmaceutical firm Ion Beam Applications (IBA), the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA), and the National Institute for Radioelements (IRE) have signed an agreement to secure the supply of technetium-99m (Tc-99m) beginning in 2015.
CEA of Gif-sur-Yvette, France, will guarantee the irradiation of uranium targets in its nuclear reactors, while Fleurus, Belgium-based IRE will extract molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) and deliver the medical isotope to distributors of Tc-99m generators. IBA will then manufacture and distribute Tc-99m generators to hospitals.
In the coming months, the three companies will work on the technical specifications of CEA's reactor irradiation systems, with the goal of beginning Mo-99 production as soon as it is operational, which is planned for 2015.
IBA of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, also has sold the prototype of its next-generation carbon therapy system to the French company CYCLHAD (un Cyclotron pour l'Hadronthérapie, or a Cyclotron for Hadron Therapy), according to IBA.
Under the terms of the sales agreement, IBA will provide CYCLHAD with the prototype and will be responsible for the research, development, and validation of all technical and scientific equipment. IBA will install the cyclotron at CYCLHAD's research center, along with one fixed-beam clinical research room and one fixed-beam physics research room.
IBA also will provide a 15-year service contract on the system. The company will receive a payment of 60 to 70 million euros ($77.4 to $90.3 million U.S.) from CYCLHAD for the equipment and services.
Related Reading
IBA considers IPO for pharma unit, August 31, 2010
IBA, Bayer ink imaging deal, August 27, 2010
IBA to build proton center in Poland, August 2, 2010
IBA wins Swedish contract, July 8, 2010
IBA inks deal with Procure, July 6, 2010
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![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnieeurope.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
