China Nuclear Medicine Development Status

The first isotope usage training course was established in Xi'an, Shaanxi in 1956, marking the birth of nuclear medicine in China. Since then, nuclear medicine has been integrated into clinical practice and serves patients nationwide. In the 1980s, China's reform and opening-up policy underwent a crucial transformation. During this period, the Chinese Nuclear Medicine Association, a branch of the Chinese Medical Association, was established in 1980, and the Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine was founded in 1981 (later renamed the Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging). These developments mark the revival of nuclear medicine in China, leading it onto a slow but steady path of development.
 

The development of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging in China has significant technological milestones and strategic initiatives. The installation of the first SPECT system in 1983 marked the beginning of this era. Subsequently, the first PET system andMedical cyclotronIn 2000, the first small animal PET system was launched, and in 2002, the first PET/CT system was introduced. The period from 2000 to 2010 was characterized by learning, accumulation, and significant investment, laying the foundation for rapid expansion in the following decade. The first one was installed in 2012PET/MRI systemIn 2016, it was launched; One county, one department; The initiative aims to improve access to nuclear medicine services nationwide, and in 2019, the first whole-body PET/CT system was launched, highlighting this fast track phase.

It is expected that by 2035, the scale of nuclear medicine will at least double, covering all advanced hospitals and achieving the goal of 'China's nuclear medicine';One county, one department” The goal.

As of now, the National Medical Products Administration of China has approved over 40 types of radioactive drugs for commercial use, including¹⁸F、⁹⁹mTc、¹³¹I、¹²⁵I、¹⁵³Sm and³²P. Among them, 23 are⁹⁹MTc labeled radiopharmaceuticals and their related reagent kits, one of which is¹⁸F-FDG， 9 types are therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, such as[¹³¹I] NaI oral solution (or capsule)⁸⁹SrCl₂Injection and¹²⁵I Close range radiation therapy source (different from other countries,¹²⁵The short-range radiation therapy source is classified as a radiopharmaceutical according to Chinese regulatory standards.

In order to promote the development of this field, in June 2021, eight national departments including the China Atomic Energy Agency, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the National Medical Products Administration jointly released the Medium - and Long Term Development Plan for Medical Isotopes (2021-2035).

This strategic plan outlines the key tasks for developing the medical isotope related industry, particularly radiopharmaceuticals. Intended to promote the research and development of new radiopharmaceuticals, enhance self-reliance in the production and supply of medical isotopes, and promote their clinical applications. This plan is the cornerstone and provides a strategic roadmap for promoting the development of China's radiopharmaceutical industry. In the past decade, China has made significant progress in nuclear medicine. The Chinese Nuclear Medicine Association plays a key role in documenting this progress through its biennial national survey.

This infrastructure supports nearly 1 million annual PET/CT scans, over 14000 annual PET/MRI scans, and over 2.5 million annual SPECT scans, attracting 12000 nuclear medicine professionals. With such a large workforce, state-of-the-art preclinical and clinical equipment, and increasing funding for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging research from various sources, we are witnessing a golden age of nuclear medicine and genetic imaging. It not only happens in China, but also around the world. We eagerly look forward to the exciting development of this dynamic field and believe that the future will be bright.

 

Jiechuang Nuclear Instrument (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. has always taken the localization of nuclear electronics technology as its first goal. Through continuous technological accumulation, it has developed a series of core components and products for nuclear electronics. On this basis, representative laboratory nuclear instruments (high-purity germaniumγ) have been successively launched in recent years; Spectrometer, alpha; Spectrometer, screen ionization chamber, flow gas low background alpha; /β Measuring instruments and portable instruments such as lanthanum bromide spectrometers, wound contamination detectors, water and food radioactivity detectors, etc.