1. Packaging technology:
Medical isotopes need
robust packaging
By Marc Martens

2. Medical isotopes need robust packaging
One of CurTec’s customers produces medical isotopes for diagnostic research on cancer
patients. Medical isotopes are radioactive with a short life span. With production in
central Netherlands, robust packaging is crucial to ship them to users safely at speed.
CurTec’s Click Pack adds value to this supply chain challenge.
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3. One of CurTec’s customers produces medical isotopes for diagnostic research on cancer
patients. These so-called PET radiopharmaceuticals are injected into patients where they
accumulate in tumours and metastases. They produce radioactive spots in the body
which are traced with a PET scanner to diagnose the patient.
PET radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive and can only be used for short periods of time.
The short life span benefits the patient, limiting their exposure to radioactivity, reducing
any damage to the body and letting them return home relatively fast after tests. But
this short lifespan also limits the time between production and treatment, and for a
customer producing them in Central Netherlands, the isotopes can face a long journey to
patient.
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4. Robust packaging is crucial to ship the PET radiopharmaceuticals safely and quickly. The
radiation dose is carefully chosen during production so that by the time it reaches the
hospital there is still enough radiation left to treat the patient effectively. Packaging and
transport are therefore timed precisely.
The PET radiopharmaceuticals are packed in a plastic primary container with a lead
interior which blocks radiation. The primary pack is placed into a Click Pack with a
polystyrene interior, closed, sealed, labelled and shipped to hospitals where patients are
waiting.
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5. PET radiopharmaceuticals are classified as hazardous goods and need packaging with a
UN marking. Click Pack bears this required UN marking and was chosen above other
alternatives as secondary packaging. The container has a smooth interior and a conical
shape enabling the polystyrene interior to be removed easily. Both primary and
secondary packaging are reused and empty Click Packs stack into each other to protect
precious hospital space.
CurTec packaging adds value to pharmaceutical supply chains. A number of these
applications have been bundled. To discover more, apply for the FREE guide ‘The best
pharmaceutical packaging solutions’.
Click here to download this FREE guide
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6. About CurTec
CurTec designs, manufactures and distributes High Performance Bulk Packaging for
pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and food ingredients.
All packaging products have tamper evident
features and offer protection to your valuable
content. Visit our website for more product
info or contact the Sales Department:
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