In mid-May, Rosatom began regular deliveries of technetium-99m generators and accompanying ‘cold kits’ to Kyrgyzstan’s National Center of Oncology and Hematology (NCOH) in Bishkek under an IAEA program. These deliveries will give Kyrgyzstan residents local access to diagnostic services for a wide range of cancers, heart diseases, endocrine disorders, and other conditions that previously required travel abroad.
V/O Izotop, part of Rosatom’s research division, delivered the first technetium generator and a ‘cold kit’ produced at the Karpov Institute of Physical Chemistry as part of a national project launched by the IAEA under its Restoration of Nuclear Medicine in Kyrgyzstan technical cooperation program and the IAEA Rays of Hope initiative. “Developing cooperation with Kyrgyzstan in the field of nuclear medicine is a step toward making advanced technologies and diagnostic procedures more accessible. Together, we can improve patient outcomes and reduce mortality from cancer,” said Maxim Kushnarev, CEO of V/O Izotop.
The GT-5K type generators produce technetium-99m, one of the most widely used radioisotopes in nuclear medicine. It is employed in 80% of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) diagnostic procedures for detecting various diseases. SPECT allows high-quality imaging of the thyroid, heart, bone tissue, and other organs. Tumors, metastases, and other pathological changes become clearly visible even at early stages. Accurate detection enables doctors to make precise diagnoses and treatments to be more effective. As a result of this collaboration between Rosatom, the IAEA, Kyrgyz doctors, and authorities, more people in Kyrgyzstan will preserve their health and lives while saving both time and money. Before these developments, local residents had to travel to Turkey, Russia, or Kazakhstan for SPECT scans — a journey not everyone could afford.
“Cooperation with Rosatom under the auspices of the IAEA will be an important step in developing Kyrgyzstan’s nuclear medicine infrastructure and a landmark event for the country’s healthcare system. For more than two years, Russian experts have supported us in launching and establishing clinical operations in the department. This will influence further cooperation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan in nuclear medicine and ultimately lead to better outcomes in early diagnosis, improved treatment effectiveness, and higher survival rates for cancer patients,” said Gulnara Ryspaeva, head of the nuclear medicine department at the National Center of Oncology and Hematology.
The nuclear medicine department at NCOH was established in 2017. The IAEA-backed delivery of equipment, including a SPECT scanner, for the department began in the same year.
Since 2022, Rosatom has provided technology support to NCOH to put the nuclear medicine department in operation. Employees from Rosatom’s construction technologies division have assisted in preparing the SPECT department for sanitary and epidemiological inspections as part of an IAEA expert mission, and in obtaining a radiation safety and radioactive materials license from Kyrgyz regulatory authorities.
In 2023, V/O Izotop made a gratuitous delivery of the first technetium-99m generator and cold kits to NCOH. This was necessary for training the department staff in dose calculation, preparation of technetium-99m radiopharmaceuticals, and compliance with radiation safety regulations.
In 2024, the nuclear medicine department was inaugurated with support from Rosatom’s construction technologies division. In mid-May of this year, the department launched regular clinical operations and performed SPECT scintigraphy on nearly 100 patients under the mentorship of radiology doctors from Moscow’s Hertsen Oncology Research Institute.
V/O Izotop will continue delivering technetium generators and cold kits for 16 months under the current IAEA contract. During this period, NCOH will receive 32 technetium-99m generators and 23 cold kits for them. “Uninterrupted supplies of technetium-99m generators and continued cooperation will ensure the sustainable operation of the NCOH nuclear medicine department,” said Elena Yeryomina, Director for Medical Isotopes at V/O Izotop.
Photo by: Press service of Rosatom Health Technologies JSC, press service of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University named after B.N. Yeltsin, Rosatom State Corporation
