Isotopes
Enabling Healthcare, Industry, and Innovation in Canada
Next-Generation Technology: Medical IsotopeS
Cross River Infrastructure Partners develops large-scale nuclear infrastructure that enables the production of critical medical isotopes.
As part of our broader advance nuclear strategy, we originate, structure, and deliver capital-intensive isotope production projects in partnership with technology developers, governments, utilities, investors, and industrial stakeholders.
Our focus is on deploying next-generation nuclear technologies – including advanced reactors and accelerator-based systems – to establish resilient domestic isotope production capacity while strengthening North America’s nuclear industrial base.
Medical isotope production represents a compelling application of advanced nuclear technology, combining essential healthcare outcomes with the development of enduring nuclear infrastructure, specialized supply chains, highly skilled employment, and strategic industrial capabilities. The experience, partnerships, and capabilities developed through these projects reinforce our broader mission of advancing the next generation of nuclear infrastructure.
What Are Medical Radioisotopes?
Medical radioisotopes are radioactive forms of chemical elements used widely in modern medicine for diagnosis, treatment, and research. Every year, millions of patients rely on nuclear medicine procedures to detect diseases like cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders—or to receive targeted radiotherapy treatments.
Key uses of medical isotopes include:
Diagnostic Imaging: Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m, the most widely used isotope globally, enables non-invasive scans of the heart, bones, and organs.
Cancer Therapy: Isotopes such as Iodine-131 and Lutetium-177 are used to target and destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
Emerging Applications: Research continues into using radioisotopes for personalized medicine, radiopharmaceutical development, and theranostics—combining diagnostics and therapy into a single treatment.
Did you know? More than 40 million nuclear medicine procedures are performed globally each year, with demand rising steadily as healthcare systems expand.
A GLOBAL SHORTFALL, A REGIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Today, most medical isotopes are produced at a handful of aging reactors in Europe and Australia, many of which are scheduled for decommissioning in the next decade. At the same time, healthcare demand is skyrocketing globally, driven by an aging population, cancer prevalence, and new nuclear medicine therapies.
Without new production capacity:
Hospitals face supply shortages
Healthcare systems risk price volatility
Access to life-saving diagnostics and treatments is threatened
Despite being the largest market, North America has very little domestic production, making increased domestic isotope production a national-security imperative.
Technology-agnostic Development
Medical isotope production can be achieved through multiple advanced nuclear technologies, each offering distinct technical and commercial advantages depending on project objectives. Cross River evaluates development opportunities across a range of production platforms, including:
Advanced isotope production reactors
Accelerator-driven isotope production systems
Subcritical accelerator technologies
Emerging advanced nuclear platforms capable of commercial isotope production.
Our role is to identify, develop, and integrate the technology best suited to each project’s technical, regulatory, and commercial requirements.
Building Nuclear Capability Through Isotope Production
Demand for medical isotopes continues to expand as precision diagnostics and targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies become increasingly important components of modern medicine. Strategic investment in isotope production infrastructure helps:
Strengthen domestic and international isotope supply chains
Improve resilience of critical healthcare infrastructure
Reduce dependence on aging international production facilities
Advance innovation in nuclear science and engineering
Create highly skilled technical employment
Support long-term growth of the advanced nuclear sector
By developing these facilities, Cross River is helping establish the infrastructure, expertise, and industrial capabilities necessary for the continued expansion of advanced nuclear technologies.
PARTNER WITH US
Cross River Infrastructure Partners welcomes opportunities to collaborate with:
Advanced reactor developers
Accelerator technology developers
Government agencies
Utilities
Institutional investors
Research institutions
Industrial partners
Healthcare and radiopharmaceutical organizations
If your organization is interested in advancing next-generation medical isotope production infrastructure, we welcome the opportunity to discuss potential partnerships.
Learn More / Contact Us
Interested in partnering, supplying, or supporting this effort?
Contact Cross River Infrastructure Partners at info@crossriverllc.com or visit our contact page.
