Framatome Healthcare: supporting nuclear medicine and healthcare industry
Nuclear has a lot going for it, on top of low-carbon electricity. It also helps save lives, especially through nuclear medicine.
Nuclear technologies play a crucial role in modern healthcare. They are essential in the fight against cancer, where medical radioisotopes are used at all stages of patient care for detection, diagnosis and therapeutic purposes. Framatome has a long-standing presence in this domain.
With diversified expertise from the nuclear energy field, our experts advance the fight against cancer and medical applications of nuclear technology.
From reactor to patient, a unique know-how in support of the healthcare industry
Framatome Healthcare is committed to developing products and services for the healthcare industry. It supports the value chain for the radioisotopes used in radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic purposes. It supplies special alloys for the development of surgical implants and prostheses. It also provides advanced solutions for complex sterilization facilities essential for the safe use of medical materials.
Video: Framatome Healthcare supports nuclear medicine and healthcare industry
This 2’20 video includes footage from the medical field (hospitals, doctors, nurses and patients) as well as excerpts from Framatome films (notably research laboratories, industrial metal treatment processes, industrial facilities, research reactor testing).
A voice-over discusses Framatome’s commitment to the healthcare industry, and here is the transcript:
Nuclear technologies play a critical role in modern healthcare applications with decades long nuclear industry expertise and commitment to radioisotopes producers Framatome understands the need for reliable sustainable and scalable supply chains to meet the expectations of both the market and society.
Our mission is:
- to ensure cancer patients long-term access to high-quality treatments;
- avoid disruptions to critical supplies for healthcare professionals and patients;
- enable broader access to modern healthcare technologies and life-saving treatments.
We develop solutions for the reliable supply of radioisotopes used in diagnosing and treating cancer.
Our CERCA facility has been providing uranium targets used to produce Technetium-99m a key radioisotope for cancer diagnostics
We are behind the world first production of Lutetium-177 in a commercial nuclear reactor a radioisotope used in a variety of cancer treatments.
Our innovative solutions increase the efficiency and reliability of gamma sterilization facilities
to meet the growing demand for sterilization services essential for the safe use of medical supplies our special alloys and metal products with increased lifetime and biocompatibility are used in surgical implants and advanced medical treatments.
Research reactors are critical to the production of medical radioisotopes and nuclear medicine
high performance solutions help them operate safely and sustainably.
Our Framatome experts bring tailored multidisciplinary solutions with comprehensive fast-laps services to support the safe and efficient operation of key equipment in demanding environments as well as product
30m/y
scintigraphy procedures with
Technietium-99m are based
on Framatome targets (on
45M/year to diagnose cancer)
World-first
Framatome’s technology enabled
the first production of
Lutetium-177 in a power reactor
20.000
fuel elements produced
by Framatome for research
reactors worldwide
Isotopes production for medical applications
Framatome is committed to building robust supply chains to ensure cancer patients have long-term access to high-quality treatments.
Through its CERCA division, Framatome supplies uranium targets used to produce radionuclides essential for cancer diagnostic imaging worldwide.
Framatome is also harnessing the healing power of nuclear energy through Isogen, a joint-venture between Framatome and Kinectrics. Isogen’s mission is to enable the use of CANDU reactors to produce the medical isotopes needed to treat and diagnose patients with serious diseases world-wide. Isogen’s enabling partnership with Bruce Power allows us to produce the world’s largest and most reliable supply of lifesaving, short-lived, medical isotopes.
Solutions for gamma sterilization facilities
Framatome offers tailor-made innovative solutions, from modernization to turnkey solutions for new installations, supporting the growing global demand for industrial and medical sterilization services.
Special alloys for medical applications
Zirconium alloys are biocompatible and are better tolerated by human tissues with better durability.
The alloys developed by Framatome can also be used in innovative products for advanced medical treatments.
Solutions for research reactors
The objective is to ensure efficient and sustainable operation, as well as reliable and steady production of medical radioisotopes.
Did you know?
Lutetium-177 is a beta-emitting radioisotope, and the active substance used in several radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of prostate cancer, as well as in many radiotherapeutics developments for other cancer indications.
With cancer rates rising around the world, demand for Lutetium-177 could increase 20-fold within 10 years.
Framatome’s isotope production system (IPS) supports the large-scale production of this radioisotope. The IPS technology is the first of its kind for power reactor production, developed through the expertise of Framatome’s I&C and services activities, and complementary to the production carried out today in research reactors.
Did you know?
The CERCA division of Framatome has been supplying fuel elements and uranium targets to research reactors for decades, allowing the production of various radionuclides for medical purposes, primarily for cancer diagnostics imaging.
CERCA is global leader for the supply of uranium targets used for the production of Molybdenum-99, the precursor of Technetium-99m, which is currently the main radioisotope used in cancer-diagnosing scintigraphy procedures.
180 million euros have been invested in CERCA to ensure the long-term manufacturing of fuel elements and new product developments in support of research reactors worldwide.