Helios Krefeld: Production of gallium-68 for high-precision diagnostics
© Sandra Greins

Helios Krefeld: Production of gallium-68 for high-precision diagnostics

22/04/2025 13:04

The Nuclear Medicine Department at Helios Hospital Krefeld now has a gallium-68 generator for the production of radioactive gallium-68. This substance plays a decisive role in the high-precision diagnosis of prostate cancer and its spread, among other things. This is because gallium-68-PSMA, which is produced on site, is used in PET-CT imaging. Patients are injected with the weak radioactive marker, also known as a tracer, which ensures that even the smallest tumor foci become visible during imaging. This enables even more precise diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

"Until now, the availability of gallium-68 was very limited, as it was only produced at a few specialized sites and its transportability is very restricted due to its short half-life of just over an hour. With the new germanium-68/gallium-68 generator, we can now produce this radiopharmaceutical in Krefeld independently and on demand directly on site," explains Andre Zwiene, Head Medical Physicist at the Clinic for Nuclear Medicine.

The Head of Nuclear Medicine, Mostafa Shahinfar, explains the benefits for patients: "A continuous and reliable supply of gallium-68 means shorter waiting times and more efficient use of our state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques. Gallium-68 DOTATOC is also already being used regularly for neuroendocrine tumors. New research results also indicate a benefit for other tumors. In future, the radioactive substance could also be used for breast cancer, sarcomas, pancreatic cancer and some rheumatological diseases.

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