Gallium Supply to the U.S. Cut Off by China. Can This Affect Cancer Diagnoses?

This headline on the AP News feed caught my attention:

China bans exports to US of gallium, germanium, antimony in response to chip sanctions

When you read the article, it omits any reference to gallium being used in medical diagnostics, so I have to wonder if this ban will adversely impact the ability to do ⁶⁸Ga PSMA PET scans.

That question led me to a quick Google search on the production of ⁶⁸Ga that yielded:

Courtesy of Dan Zeller

I’m no nuclear physicist or radiopharmaceutical guy but, given that process outlined above, it sounds to this layperson that PSMA PET scans could possibly be impacted.

Or I could be completely out to lunch, reading far too much into the story.

It’s definitely something to keep and eye on going forward, as I’m guessing another PSMA PET scan is in my future in January or February.

This post originally appeared December 5, 2024, on Dan’s Journey Through Prostate Cancer. It is republished with permission.

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