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Info on Blood irradiator


glendabb

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Does anyone have an idea on what is the current pricing and/or recommendation for a blood irradiator for a small volume transfusion service. The estimated number of units per month requiring irradiation is 40 units a month.

Does anyone know of a U.S. vendor/distributor for the Nordion products? I have submitted an inquiry on the Nordion website inquiring about pricing but have yet to receive a response.

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The security aspects for gamma irradiators are a lot to deal with for such a small through-put. You might consider an X-Ray irradiator (Nordion-Best Theratrnics) makes one. Pros are, you don't have to deal with the increased security. Cons are, the maintenance and cost of X-ray tube replacement when the time comes. Others can coment on the viability of X-Ray vs. gamma irradiation.

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As stated above, currently, the only source of an X-ray radiation source, blood irradiator in North America is Best Theratronics, Canada. This system is currently designated Raycell. This system was initially designed, manufactured and commercially offered to blood processing laboratories in the U.S. in the 1998-1999 time frame. It was designated as the RS 3000. In 2003, this system was licensed to MDS Nordion at which time it was designated the Raycell by Nordion. In latter 2007, MDS Nordion sold its entire irradiation product line (radioactive sources Cs-137 and Co-60), icluding Raycell, to Best Medical.

Other than blood bag canister volume and the addition of an energy reflecting liner? In the canister, Raycell’s design has not changed since the initial design. It lacks a number of features important for current blood irradiation procedure.

There is rumoured pricing over the past several years ranging from $146,000. to $250,000. USD with rumoured annual maintance agreements costs ranging from $10,000. to $22,000. USD.

The major problem with all X-ray radiation source, blood irradiation equipment, available in North America and in Italy and Japan, lies in the use of X-ray sources (tubes) designed for imaging and not as radiation sources. The basic technology has not changed over the past 100 years. Over time the technology used in these tubes results in non-reliability of the X-ray tubes. Unfortunately, blood processing laboratories have born the brunt of the problem as reflected in the high initial cost of the systems and high maintenance costs. The exorbitant initial cost of the equipment is a result of large company overhead and no competition. The high maintenance cost reflects the use of commercially available, industrial imaging X-ray tubes and their replacement.

The exorbitant pricing makes it very difficult for the small to medium size blood processing laboratory to both cost justify the initial cost of the equipment and its on-going maintenance cost.

The Irradiation Machines advertisement below your post lists irradiation equipment designed for research and other applications; not for blood irradiation. As such it has no FDA clearance for blood irradiation.

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The Irradiation Machines advertisement below your post lists irradiation equipment designed for research and other applications; not for blood irradiation. As such it has no FDA clearance for blood irradiation.

Great post, thanks for the info.

The ad listed is from Google, and it wont always be the same ad. They try to display ads appropriate for the content on the page.

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Does anyone have an idea on what is the current pricing and/or recommendation for a blood irradiator for a small volume transfusion service. The estimated number of units per month requiring irradiation is 40 units a month.

Does anyone know of a U.S. vendor/distributor for the Nordion products? I have submitted an inquiry on the Nordion website inquiring about pricing but have yet to receive a response.

Contact Energex Systems, Inc. at www.energexsystems.com. They have prototyped an ultraviolet blood sterilizer intended for blood bank use. It is on its way for commercialization. You don't have the issue of a radioactive source, and it is more accurate and less expensive than an x-ray or gamma unit.

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What is meant by more accuracy?

The device uses a proprietary "thin film" design to minimize handling and achieve a > 6 log reduction in pathogen load. Four mercury lamps were designed and positioned to allow even irradiation exposure over the entire chamber surface, and internal surfaces and shields reduce scattering. The UV source goes through a water jacket to absorb the infrared. Installation of photometers and smart power supplies can ensure control of the UV dose and predictability.

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UVblood: the irradiation devices that this conversation is focused on is not for pathogen reduction or sterilization. In this application, irradiation is used to damage the DNA of T-lymphocytes of donor origin so that they cannot replicate in the recipient and cause a sometimes fatal condition called Graft-versus-Host Disease.

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UVblood: the irradiation devices that this conversation is focused on is not for pathogen reduction or sterilization. In this application, irradiation is used to damage the DNA of T-lymphocytes of donor origin so that they cannot replicate in the recipient and cause a sometimes fatal condition called Graft-versus-Host Disease.

Thanks Heather. But if you use x-ray to damage the dna of cells, you alter the timing of cell death. I would expect that to trigger an exacerbated immune and stasis response. Another UV blood treatment system, the HemoModulator will kill pathogens while not damaging the dna of immune system cells. Actually, the UV lamp is engineered specifically to activate FOXP3 genes, among others, to suppress the immune system action.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfusion-associated_graft_versus_host_disease

UVBlood, please read up on the physiology on GVHD. Irradiation for the prevention of GVHD has been used in the US for many years. In this case, we want to damage the immune system cells from the donor so that they cannot cause damage in the (immunocompromised) recipient of the transfusion.

Edited by heathervaught
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Having dealt with all of the "stuff" that government sends out for us peasants to deal with, specifically an irradiator; I would STRONGLY advise you to avoid gamma irradiators like the plague. We looked at replacing ours with X-ray but the cost of maintenance was prohibitive. I would suggest that you look into Co based irradiators. The source lasts longer than X-ray tubes and it doesn't come with the security headaches of Cs.

If your blood supplier is close enough and has an irradiator, they would probably be able to handle your irradiation needs.

UVblood, if a device isn't approved by the FDA for a specific use, in this case irradiation of blood, we can't use it.

Edited by ar_confederate
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Having dealt with all of the "stuff" that government sends out for us peasants to deal with, specifically an irradiator; I would STRONGLY advise you to avoid gamma irradiators like the plague. We looked at replacing ours with X-ray but the cost of maintenance was prohibitive. I would suggest that you look into Co based irradiators. The source lasts longer than X-ray tubes and it doesn't come with the security headaches of Cs.

If your blood supplier is close enough and has an irradiator, they would probably be able to handle your irradiation needs.

UVblood, if a device isn't approved by the FDA for a specific use, in this case irradiation of blood, we can't use it.

Correct. But there is a device undergoing clinical trials in the US, under FDA authorization, for treatment of certian viral diseases. One of the effects of extracorporeal blood irradiation is that is manipulates certain genes specifically to shut down cytokine storming. This could be tested in the case of implants or to avoid G vs H. Treating the patient twice before, and twice after, shuts off the cytokine storming without supressing the whole immune system. That way the paitent does not reject the foreign body introduction, but still has a strong immune response to pathogens. A clinical trial would be necessary before approval. Any one suggesting to use another device imported under the radar should be avoided. But a real modern version of the Knott Machine would be worth looking into.

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  • 1 month later...

If you would like a formal quote for the Raycell CE x-ray blood irradiator, or further disucssion please call me at 613-591-2100 ext 2965.

Regards, Dan Aitkenhead - Area Sales Manager - Best Theratronics

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