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20 July 2018, 18:55

Belarus considering building nuclear research reactor with Rosatom's aid

MINSK, 20 July (BelTA) – The possibility of building a nuclear research reactor with Rosatom's assistance is under consideration in Belarus, BelTA learned from Svyatoslav Brinkevich, Head of the Cyclotron and Radiochemical Lab of the National Positron Emission Tomography Center, on 20 July.

The research reactor may be built at premises of the energy and nuclear research institute Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The research reactor could be used to partially satisfy Belarus' demand for radionuclides used for treating various diseases such as Iodine-131. Iodine-131 is an artificial radioactive iodine isotope used for treating thyroid cancer and thyrotoxic conditions.

If the project is authorized, technological aspects will have to be looked into and a license will be needed from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Department of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor). Rosatom could take care of designing the reactor and the surrounding premises. Rosatom could deliver the equipment, share technologies for purifying radionuclides, and help train personnel to man the research reactor, said Svyatoslav Brinkevich.

According to the source, the National Positron Emission Tomography Center maintains close cooperation with Rosatom. The Russian state nuclear energy industry corporation Rosatom helps train the center's radiochemists in addition to providing advanced training.

The National Positron Emission Tomography Center was established at the N.N. Aleksandrov National Applied Research Center for Oncology and Medical Radiology in 2015. The combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and computer tomography (CT) allowed introducing and developing so-called hybrid examination technologies in clinical practice. The center allows early diagnostics of oncological, neurological, and cardiological diseases in addition to prescribing precision treatment schemes. The center makes its own radioactive solutions for PET diagnostics.

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