AHS PET Cyclotron Public Disclosure

Diagnostic Imaging

The cyclotron operates under a Class II license issued to AHS by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The existing license has been extended for one year. A new license will be issue on June 1, 2023 and will be valid for 5 years. Communication with our community is a key part of our operation. AHS uses a public disclosure protocol to relate information to the public on the issues relevant to licensed activities in the facility including:

  • Health and Safety
  • Security
  • Environmental impacts
  • Issues related to the lifecycle of the facility

Learn more:

  • PET Cyclotron Public Disclosure Protocol
  • PET Q & A
  • PET Scan Information
  • Status

    Status

    The PET Cyclotron is currently operational.

    The Cyclotron facility reported an unplanned release of carbon dioxide gas on August 31, 2017. The amount released equaled less than 0.1% of the annual dose limit to the public allowed under CNSC regulations.

    There is no risk to the public.

    An investigation into the event identified that brief equipment issues caused a leak of carbon-11, a radioisotope used for radiopharmaceuticals in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. The leaked isotope was in the form of carbon dioxide gas. The cause of the leak was located, replaced, tested and returned to service.

    Patient care was not affected and no one suffered any negative repercussions as a result of the event.

    Root cause analysis of a failed target will be initiated. Once the incident was realized, a report was immediately submitted to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

     
  • Routine maintenance shutdown: two weeks in June / July and two weeks in December / January

Background

There are currently two AHS cyclotrons in Edmonton that produce radiopharmaceuticals for medical use located at: the Cross Cancer Institute and the Medical Isotope and Cyclotron Facility (MICF) at U of A South Campus. These cyclotrons are similar devices but can produce different radioisotopes, offering a more diverse suite of radiopharmaceuticals for medical diagnosis and research. The two cyclotrons in Edmonton have the ability to back each other up during shut-downs or maintenance.

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