Việt Nam News

Nuclear technology powers modern healthcare

September 02, 2026 - 14:20

At Hà Nội Irradiation Centre, nuclear technology is being applied to produce radiopharmaceuticals that support medical diagnosis and help doctors make more precise treatment decisions.

At the Hà Nội Irradiation Centre (HIC), part of the Việt Nam Atomic Energy Institute (VINATOM), nuclear science is advancing healthcare through the production of radiopharmaceuticals that help doctors detect cancer earlier and make more informed treatment decisions.

The Hà Nội Irradiation Centre (HIC) comes alive twice a day, at 6.15am and 12.30pm, when vehicles from hospitals arrive to collect freshly produced radiopharmaceuticals. — VNS Photo Hải Anh

Inside the shielded transport containers is 18F-FDG (Fluorodeoxyglucose), a radioactive glucose analogue used in PET/CT imaging. — VNS Photo Hải Anh

Behind every batch of radiopharmaceuticals is a race against time, with engineers, pharmacists and technicians beginning work while the city is still asleep. — VNS Photo Hải Anh

Each production run can supply four or five hospitals. — VNS Photo Hải Anh

Before the centre could begin supplying FDG to hospitals, it spent eight years meeting regulatory requirements to ensure every dose complied with strict safety and quality standards. — VNS Photo Hải Anh

Technicians are required to wear personal dosimeters while entering controlled radiation areas. — VNS Photo Khánh An

Radiation safety is an essential part of every production cycle. — VNS Photo Khánh An

Each production batch must pass nine quality-control tests. — VNS Photo Hải Anh

When the work is finished, the radiopharmaceuticals must be delivered to hospitals within 30 minutes, as 18F-FDG has a physical half-life of just over 109 minutes, meaning its radioactivity decreases by half in less than two hours. — VNS Photo Hải Anh

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