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North Macedonia PET/CT scanner and cyclotron disruption

Updated 1 time since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-14 12:51 UTC → 2026-08-18 20:41 UTC · added removed

North Macedonia PET/CT scanner service and cyclotron disruption

The state-owned PET/CT scanner in North Macedonia, the country’s only such device for assessing cancer progression, has faced significant operational challenges. While initial reports indicated the scanner itself was non-functional, Minister of Health Sašo Klevkovski has clarified that the scanner remains operational, but the cyclotron used to produce the necessary scanning agent has been non-functional out of service for approximately two months. over a month. This malfunction, attributed to improper maintenance by the supplier involving restricted-regime oil, threatens to reduce the volume of scans performed. Last year, the facility scanned 2,705 patients, an increase from previous years when figures ranged between 1,800 and 2,200. To resolve the shortage, the government is attempting to secure raw materials from Belgium and the United States. Foreign Minister Timcho Mutunski is coordinating with Brussels to expedite export permits from Belgium. Additionally, health institutions have been directed to seek supplies from Bulgaria or Turkey as alternatives. Previously, the failure has forced oncology patients to seek private diagnostics or travel abroad at costs of roughly 1,300 euros, expenses which the Health Insurance Fund (FSSH) stated it cannot reimburse. Political criticism from the Levica party has targeted the Ministry of Health, citing a May 2025 State Audit Office report that warned of the risks of relying on a single scanner and noted failures in preventive maintenance protocols. The technical malfunction involves the diffusion pump’s oil heater, which requires the replacement of Santovac 5 oil. Repairs are currently delayed because the oil is a dual-use product, leaving the servicing company, NET-Elektroniks, waiting for special export licenses from the United States and the European Union.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-18 20:41 UTC North Macedonia PET/CT scanner and cyclotron disruption
  2. 2026-08-14 12:51 UTC North Macedonia PET/CT scanner service disruption

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