Technetium99m shortage: Practical solutions to manage lack of the radio-isotope in nuclear medicine departments

Technetium99m (99mTc) shortage crisis regularly affect nuclear medicine activity and oblige the community to find solutions in order to perform most of the prescribed exams and avoid systematic substitutions by other non-nuclear medicine techniques. Firstly, some practical solutions can be set up in radiopharmacy departments such as using more than two generators together, realizing fractionated elutions, preparing radiopharmaceuticals with elutions providing from different generators.. Then, it could be interesting to have a reflexion in nuclear medicine departments to convene patients the days when 99mTc supply is sufficient, to pool some exams or to make substitutions with more available isotopes. (authors)