- Capability group
- Biotechnology & Health Technologies
- Domain
- Critical Technology · Hard Power
- Identifier
- factbase.org/cap/JH8DZ65Q2E
- Reference
- Nuclear medicine Wikipedia
Papers
33.4k
2020–2024
Paper growth
+6%
2020–24 on 2015–19
Patent families
14.5k
2020–2024
Filed abroad
45%
families in more than one office
What it covers
What the capability covers and what it leaves to others, and the indicators it will be measured by.
Bounds
Covers radioisotope and radiation-medicine technology; research reactors and processing facilities belong to Strategic Infrastructure, clinical delivery to Human Capital's health system, and supply concentration is the control-layer read that justifies the node.
Lineage
Carried from v0.0 (formerly Nuclear medicine and radiation therapy) with the same identifier; retained as a standalone capability on supply-chain logic, a global dependence on few producers, rather than on research-field logic.
Indicators
- medical isotope production sharePending
- research reactors producing isotopesPending
- radiopharmaceutical approvalsPending
Who publishes it
Papers classified to the capability, by year and by the nation of their authors' institutions, 2020–2024. Read from the v0.0 research topic Nuclear medicine and radiation therapy.
Papers by year
The five leading nations, papers by year
Share of papers, 2020–2024
Of papers with a known author nation; 32% have none and are left out.
- 1United States20.5%6,154 papers
- 2Germany7.5%2,234 papers
- 3China7.4%2,202 papers
- 4Italy4.9%1,468 papers
- 5United Kingdom4.7%1,403 papers
- 6Japan4.4%1,333 papers
- 7Canada3.9%1,171 papers
- 8France3.3%980 papers
- 9Netherlands3.2%967 papers
- 10India3.2%952 papers
Leading institutions, 2020–2024
By fractional count: each paper divided among its authors' institutions.
- 1Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center196fractional papers
- 2The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center169fractional papers
- 3University of California, Los Angeles130fractional papers
- 4University of California, San Francisco91fractional papers
- 5Johns Hopkins University90fractional papers
- 6Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College88fractional papers
- 7Stanford University87fractional papers
- 8Cornell University83fractional papers
- 9Washington University in St. Louis78fractional papers
- 10Peking University67fractional papers
Who patents it
Patent families by the nation of origin of their applicants and their earliest priority year, from the CPC and IPC classes the capability is read from. 2025 onwards is incomplete: families are published 18 months after priority.
Families by priority year
The five leading origins, families by year
10,674 applicants filed here in 2015–2024; the five largest held 5% of families (HHI 13 of 10,000: unconcentrated).
Share of families by origin, 2020–2024
- 1China51.4%7,448 families
- 2United States18.1%2,625 families
- 3Japan7.6%1,097 families
- 4South Korea6.1%878 families
- 5Germany3.1%447 families
- 6Switzerland2.4%345 families
- 7United Kingdom1.5%216 families
- 8Canada1.5%211 families
- 9France1.1%155 families
- 10Netherlands0.9%134 families
Applicants filing most internationally, 2015–2024
Families filed in more than one office, by applicant as the offices name them.
- 1KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV318international families
- 2SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO LTD297international families
- 3SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS INT AG213international families
- 4SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH186international families
- 5HITACHI LTD184international families
- 6Elekta ltd174international families
- 7CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP162international families
- 8UNIV CALIFORNIA152international families
- 9OUR UNITED CORP150international families
- 10VARIAN MED SYS INC128international families
Classification read
- A61K51/00 Radiopharmaceuticals · 167.5k documents
- G21G Radioisotope production and radioactive sources · 27.4k documents
- H05H6/00 Targets for producing isotopes by nuclear reaction · 3.9k documents
- H05H13/00 Cyclotrons · 5.9k documents
- C07B59/00 Isotope-labelled organic compounds · 36.1k documents
- A61N5/10 Radiotherapy: X-ray, gamma, particle beams, brachytherapy · 253.4k documents
- G01T1/161 Radiation detection for nuclear medicine · 20.4k documents
- A61B6/037 Emission tomography (PET, SPECT) · 24.1k documents
Shares inventions with
Capabilities whose classes the same families also fall in, by overlap (Jaccard).
- Advanced Therapeutics, Vaccines & Medical Countermeasures1,911 families · 0.022
- Advanced Nuclear & Fusion255 families · 0.015
Who makes it
The companies that research, design, make, supply and operate the technology, the global leaders and the leading firms of every region.
50 companies in this capability, from 25 nations across 8 regions. Sorted by how experts see each company's global relevance in the field, from very high to very low.
- Very high4 companies
- 1Very highHardware & devicesErlangenGermany184772kSHL
Leading maker of SPECT and PET/CT scanners (Biograph line) and, through PETNET Solutions, one of the largest PET radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution networks; also owns Varian radiotherapy.
Very high relevance · Hardware & devices · Germany, Erlangen · founded 1847 · 72k staff
- 2Very highHardware & devicesChicagoUnited States202353kGEHC
Major supplier of PET/CT, SPECT/CT and cyclotrons plus a Pharmaceutical Diagnostics unit making SPECT and PET tracers (e.g. DaTscan, Vizamyl) and owner of the MIM Software molecular-imaging suite.
Very high relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Chicago · founded 2023 · 53k staff
- 3Very highMedicines & vaccinesBaselSwitzerland199676kNOVN
Global leader in radioligand therapy with Lutathera and Pluvicto (Lu-177), produced by its Advanced Accelerator Applications unit across dedicated radiopharmaceutical plants.
Very high relevance · Medicines & vaccines · Switzerland, Basel · founded 1996 · 76k staff
- 4Very highAdvanced materialsParisFrance2017–Private
One of the world's largest nuclear medicine companies, a top supplier of Mo-99/Tc-99m generators, I-131 and SPECT/PET radiopharmaceuticals, formed from Mallinckrodt Nuclear Medicine and IBA Molecular.
Very high relevance · Advanced materials · France, Paris · founded 2017
- High13 companies
- 5HighAdvanced materialsBedfordUnited States1956–LNTH
Markets the leading PSMA PET agent Pylarify, TechneLite Tc-99m generators and cardiac imaging agents, and is building a radiotherapeutics pipeline.
High relevance · Advanced materials · United States, Bedford · founded 1956
- 6HighProfessional & data servicesDublin, OhioUnited States197149kCAH
Operates the largest US network of nuclear pharmacies and cyclotron PET facilities through its Nuclear and Precision Health Solutions business, dispensing unit-dose radiopharmaceuticals.
High relevance · Professional & data services · United States, Dublin, Ohio · founded 1971 · 49k staff
- 7HighSystems integrationMoscowRussia2007–State-owned
Russian state nuclear corporation whose subsidiaries (JSC Isotope, Rusatom Healthcare, research reactors) are major exporters of Mo-99, Lu-177, Co-60, I-131 and other medical isotopes.
High relevance · Systems integration · Russia, Moscow · founded 2007
- 8HighOperations & infrastructurePettenNetherlands1998–State-owned
Operates the High Flux Reactor at Petten, historically a supplier of a large share of the world's Mo-99 and Lu-177 targets, and is building the PALLAS replacement isotope reactor.
High relevance · Operations & infrastructure · Netherlands, Petten · founded 1998
- 9HighAdvanced materialsFleurusBelgium1971–State-owned
Institute for Radioelements (IRE)One of the few global processors of irradiated uranium targets into Mo-99, supplying a significant share of world demand, and a producer of therapeutic isotopes.
High relevance · Advanced materials · Belgium, Fleurus · founded 1971
- 10HighAdvanced materialsPelindabaSouth Africa––State-owned
Subsidiary of South Africa's Necsa that processes Mo-99 from the SAFARI-1 reactor and is one of the world's major Mo-99 and I-131 suppliers, exporting to over 60 countries.
High relevance · Advanced materials · South Africa, Pelindaba
- 11HighResearch & IPSydneyAustralia1987–State-owned
Australia's nuclear agency, operating the OPAL reactor and ANSTO Nuclear Medicine Mo-99 plant that supply Tc-99m generators domestically and for export.
High relevance · Research & IP · Australia, Sydney · founded 1987
- 12HighAdvanced materialsOttawaCanada1946–SHC
The world's leading supplier of Co-60 sources for gamma sterilisation and radiation therapy, sourced from CANDU power reactors; owned by Sotera Health.
High relevance · Advanced materials · Canada, Ottawa · founded 1946
- 13HighAdvanced materialsBerlinGermany1992–EUZ
Leading supplier of Ge-68/Ga-68 generators, GMP-grade Lu-177 and Y-90, radiopharmaceutical synthesis modules and isotope components.
High relevance · Advanced materials · Germany, Berlin · founded 1992
- 14HighAdvanced materialsGarchingGermany2004–Private
ITM Isotope Technologies MunichOne of the world's largest producers of no-carrier-added Lu-177 (EndolucinBeta) for radioligand therapy and developer of the ITM-11 targeted radionuclide therapy.
High relevance · Advanced materials · Germany, Garching · founded 2004
- 15HighHardware & devicesAmsterdamNetherlands1891–PHIA
Maker of digital PET/CT (Vereos) and SPECT systems and a leading international patent applicant in nuclear imaging.
High relevance · Hardware & devices · Netherlands, Amsterdam · founded 1891
- 16HighHardware & devicesShanghaiChina2011–688271
China's leading PET/CT and PET/MR maker, developer of the total-body uEXPLORER scanner and the second-largest patent applicant in this capability.
High relevance · Hardware & devices · China, Shanghai · founded 2011
- 17HighEquipment & machineryLouvain-la-NeuveBelgium1986–IBAB
World-leading supplier of cyclotrons for PET isotope and alpha-emitter (At-211) production, of proton therapy systems and of the Rhodotron for Mo-99 and sterilisation.
High relevance · Equipment & machinery · Belgium, Louvain-la-Neuve · founded 1986
- Moderate18 companies
- 18ModerateComponents & subsystemsLynchburg, VirginiaUnited States18678,700BWXT
Its BWXT Medical unit (Ottawa, acquired from Nordion) produces I-125, Y-90 and other isotopes and has developed a non-HEU Mo-99/Tc-99m generator.
Moderate relevance · Components & subsystems · United States, Lynchburg, Virginia · founded 1867 · 8,700 staff
- 19ModerateAdvanced materialsBeijingChina1983–1763
China Isotope & Radiation CorporationCNNC subsidiary and China's dominant producer of radiopharmaceuticals, I-125 seeds, urea breath-test kits and radiation sources.
Moderate relevance · Advanced materials · China, Beijing · founded 1983
- 20ModerateMedicines & vaccinesLeverkusenGermany1863–BAYN
Markets Xofigo (radium-223), the first approved alpha-emitting therapy, and runs a targeted alpha and actinium-225 radiopharmaceutical pipeline.
Moderate relevance · Medicines & vaccines · Germany, Leverkusen · founded 1863
- 21ModerateMedicines & vaccinesMelbourneAustralia2015–TLX
Commercialises the PSMA-PET kit Illuccix and runs a late-stage theranostics pipeline; it acquired RLS radiopharmacies in the US.
Moderate relevance · Medicines & vaccines · Australia, Melbourne · founded 2015
- 22ModerateMedicines & vaccinesPrincetonUnited States188734kBMY
Bristol Myers Squibb (RayzeBio)Acquired RayzeBio in 2024 for its actinium-225 radiopharmaceutical pipeline (RYZ101) and Ac-225 manufacturing capacity in Indiana.
Moderate relevance · Medicines & vaccines · United States, Princeton · founded 1887 · 34k staff
- 23ModerateDesignIndianapolisUnited States187647kLLY
Acquired POINT Biopharma in 2023, gaining Lu-177 radioligand candidates and a radiopharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Indianapolis.
Moderate relevance · Design · United States, Indianapolis · founded 1876 · 47k staff
- 24ModerateMedicines & vaccinesCambridgeUnited Kingdom199994kAZN
Acquired Fusion Pharmaceuticals in 2024 to develop actinium-225 targeted alpha therapies, with its own Ac-225 supply and production capability.
Moderate relevance · Medicines & vaccines · United Kingdom, Cambridge · founded 1999 · 94k staff
- 25ModerateResearch & IPParisFrance2009–State-owned
Subsidiary of state-owned Orano that develops lead-212 targeted alpha therapies (e.g. AlphaMedix) and operates Pb-212 production plants in France and the US.
Moderate relevance · Research & IP · France, Paris · founded 2009
- 26ModerateAdvanced materialsNoidaIndia1978–JUBLPHARMA
Its Jubilant Radiopharma unit (Kirkland, Canada) makes RUBY-FILL Rb-82 generators, MAA and DTPA kits and I-131, and runs a large US radiopharmacy network.
Moderate relevance · Advanced materials · India, Noida · founded 1978
- 27ModerateAdvanced materialsJanesvilleUnited States2010––
Produces no-carrier-added Lu-177 at scale and is building an accelerator-driven, fusion-neutron Mo-99 production facility.
Moderate relevance · Advanced materials · United States, Janesville · founded 2010
- 28ModerateAdvanced materialsTokyoJapan1973–Private
Japan's largest radiopharmaceutical maker (a Sumitomo Chemical / GE HealthCare joint venture), supplying SPECT and PET agents and operating cyclotron sites nationwide.
Moderate relevance · Advanced materials · Japan, Tokyo · founded 1973
- 29ModerateHardware & devicesTokyoJapan1937–7751
Canon Medical Systems makes the Cartesion Prime digital PET/CT and is a leading patent applicant in nuclear imaging.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Japan, Tokyo · founded 1937
- 30ModerateEquipment & machineryTokyoJapan1888–6302
Major supplier of compact PET cyclotrons (HM series), radiochemistry systems and accelerator-based BNCT and proton therapy systems.
Moderate relevance · Equipment & machinery · Japan, Tokyo · founded 1888
- 31ModerateEquipment & machineryStockholmSweden1972–EKTA B
Makes the Co-60 Leksell Gamma Knife and brachytherapy afterloaders using Ir-192 sources, alongside linear accelerators.
Moderate relevance · Equipment & machinery · Sweden, Stockholm · founded 1972
- 32ModerateResearch & IPSydneyAustralia2010–CU6
Develops copper-64/copper-67 theranostic pairs (SAR-bisPSMA, SARTATE) in late-stage clinical trials.
Moderate relevance · Research & IP · Australia, Sydney · founded 2010
- 33ModerateEquipment & machineryRichmond, British ColumbiaCanada––Private
Advanced Cyclotron Systems (ACSI)Builds TR-series cyclotrons used worldwide to make PET isotopes and to produce Tc-99m directly without a reactor.
Moderate relevance · Equipment & machinery · Canada, Richmond, British Columbia
- 34ModerateHardware & devicesCaesareaIsrael––Private
Developer of the VERITON CZT digital SPECT/CT and D-SPECT cardiac cameras.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Israel, Caesarea
- 35ModerateSystems integrationSan Carlos de BarilocheArgentina19761,400State-owned
Designs and builds isotope-production research reactors and Mo-99 plants (Australia's OPAL, Netherlands' PALLAS, Argentina's RA-10) and makes radiotherapy systems.
Moderate relevance · Systems integration · Argentina, San Carlos de Bariloche · founded 1976 · 1,400 staff
- Low11 companies
- 36LowAdvanced materialsBeloitUnited States2006–PrivateNorthStar Medical Radioisotopes
Developed non-uranium Mo-99 production and the RadioGenix system, and is scaling electron-accelerator production of Ac-225 and Cu-67.
Low relevance · Advanced materials · United States, Beloit · founded 2006
- 37LowAdvanced materialsTokyoJapan2022–Private
Former FUJIFILM Toyama Chemical radiopharmaceutical business, a leading Japanese supplier of Tc-99m generators and SPECT and therapeutic agents.
Low relevance · Advanced materials · Japan, Tokyo · founded 2022
- 38LowAdvanced materialsNavi MumbaiIndia1989–State-owned
Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT)Department of Atomic Energy unit that is India's main producer and distributor of radiopharmaceuticals, Tc-99m generators, Co-60 sources and radiation technology equipment.
Low relevance · Advanced materials · India, Navi Mumbai · founded 1989
- 39LowContract manufacturingDullesUnited States––Private
Operates one of the largest US networks of PET radiopharmaceutical cyclotron manufacturing sites and develops FAPI-based theranostics.
Low relevance · Contract manufacturing · United States, Dulles
- 40LowAdvanced materialsPetah TikvaIsrael––Private
Israeli producer of no-carrier-added Lu-177 and Ga-68 radiopharmaceutical precursors supplied to drug developers and hospitals.
Low relevance · Advanced materials · Israel, Petah Tikva
- 41LowResearch & IPSeattleUnited States1998–CATX
Formerly IsoRay (Cs-131 brachytherapy seeds), it now develops lead-212 alpha radioligand therapies with in-house Pb-212 generator technology.
Low relevance · Research & IP · United States, Seattle · founded 1998
- 42LowAdvanced materialsGebzeTürkiye––Private
Turkey's leading radiopharmaceutical maker, running a network of FDG cyclotron sites and producing I-131, Ga-68 generators and Lu-177 products for export across the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
Low relevance · Advanced materials · Türkiye, Gebze
- 43LowResearch & IPSão PauloBrazil1956–State-owned
Brazil's National Nuclear Energy Commission institute that produces most of the country's radiopharmaceuticals and Tc-99m generators and leads the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor project.
Low relevance · Research & IP · Brazil, São Paulo · founded 1956
- 44LowAdvanced materialsOtwock-ŚwierkPoland––State-owned
POLATOM (NCBJ Radioisotope Centre)Polish state radioisotope centre using the MARIA reactor to irradiate Mo-99 targets and make Tc-99m generators, I-131 and Lu-177 products sold in over 60 countries.
Low relevance · Advanced materials · Poland, Otwock-Świerk
- 45LowAdvanced materialsSeoulSouth Korea––176750
South Korea's leading radiopharmaceutical company, operating a national network of cyclotron sites for FDG and amyloid PET tracers.
Low relevance · Advanced materials · South Korea, Seoul
- 46LowAdvanced materialsSydneyAustralia––CYC
Makes Technegas, a Tc-99m carbon nanoparticle agent for lung ventilation imaging that is approved in more than 60 countries, including the US.
Low relevance · Advanced materials · Australia, Sydney
- Very low4 companies
- 47Very lowAdvanced materialsBudapestHungary1959–State-owned
Izotop Intézet (Institute of Isotopes)Hungarian state producer of radiopharmaceutical kits, I-131 and sealed radiation sources for Central and Eastern European markets.
Very low relevance · Advanced materials · Hungary, Budapest · founded 1959
- 48Very lowAdvanced materialsSerpongIndonesia1996–State-owned
PT Industri Nuklir Indonesia (INUKI)Indonesian state enterprise that processes radioisotopes from the Serpong reactor (I-131, Sm-153, Tc-99m kits) for domestic and regional nuclear medicine.
Very low relevance · Advanced materials · Indonesia, Serpong · founded 1996
- 49Very lowResearch & IPOcoyoacacMexico1979–State-owned
ININ (National Institute for Nuclear Research)Mexico's state nuclear institute that produces Tc-99m generators, Lu-177 and Ga-68 radiopharmaceuticals and has developed the Lu-177 iPSMA agent.
Very low relevance · Research & IP · Mexico, Ocoyoacac · founded 1979
- 50Very lowResearch & IPRabatMorocco1986–State-owned
Morocco's national nuclear centre, which runs the TRIGA reactor at Maamora and makes radiopharmaceuticals such as I-131 and Sm-153 for Moroccan and African hospitals.
Very low relevance · Research & IP · Morocco, Rabat · founded 1986
