Production Review of Accelerator-Based Medical Isotopes (original) (raw)
Reviews of Accelerator Science and Technology, 2012
Cyclotrons are the primary tool for producing the shorter-lived proton-rich radio-isotopes currently used in the biosciences. Although the primary use of the cyclotron produced short-lived radio-isotopes is in PET/CT and SPECT diagnostic medical procedures, cyclotrons are also producing longer-lived isotopes for therapeutic procedures. Commercial suppliers are responding by providing a range of cyclotrons in the energy range of 3 to 70 MeV. The cyclotrons generally have multiple beams servicing multiple targets. This paper provides a comparison of some of the capabilities of the various current cyclotrons. The use of nuclear medicine and the number of cyclotrons providing the needed isotopes is increasing. In the future it is expected that there will be a new generation of small 'table top' cyclotrons providing patient doses on demand.
Production of Medical Isotopes With Electron Linacs
2017
Radioisotopes play important roles in numerous areas ranging from medical treatments to national security and basic research. Radionuclide production technology for medical applications has been pursued since the early 1900s both commercially and in nuclear science centers. Many medical isotopes are now in routine production and are used in day-to-day medical procedures. Despite these advancements, research is accelerating around the world to improve the existing production methodologies as well as to develop novel radionuclides for new medical applications. Electron linear accelerators (linacs) are unique sources of radioisotopes. Even though the basic technology has been around for decades, only recently have electron linacs capable of producing photons with sufficient energy and flux for radioisotope production become available. Housed in Argonne National Laboratory's building 211 is a newly upgraded 50 MeV/30-kW electron linear accelerator, capable of producing a wide range ...
DYNA, 2022
Linac 7 consists of a new generation linear proton accelerator completely designed and built at the Beam Laboratory (IZPILab-Beam Laboratory) of the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU. One of the most important health applications conceived within the Linac 7 project is the production of pharmaceuticals of various species, locally around large clinical centers. Currently, medical radioisotopes are manufactured externally to hospitals and involve the use of distant, expensive and complex infrastructures. This results in long transports, production of large doses of radioisotopes that decay rapidly over the several hours of transport, and also usually only elements with sufficient half-life for use as appropriate pharmaceuticals can be used, with no other options. Our compact Linac 7 linear accelerator allows the manufacture of multiple types of radioisotopes locally and tailored to the corresponding biomedical needs, including specific doses of pharmaceuticals for patients, on ...
Journal of Contemporary Physics (Armenian Academy of Sciences), 2012
⎯We describe a technique of obtaining radioactive 99m Tc isotope by irradiation of molybdenum with high-intensity beam of bremsstrahlung photons from the electron beam of the linear electron accelerator (LUE50) of the Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory (ANSL, former Yerevan Physics Institute). We have elaborated and created an experimental plant for development of 99m Tc production technology. Upgrading of linac has been performed aimed at raising the beam intensity and density. A system of automated control of the parameters of the plant and accelerator was built up. We carried out preliminary studies of 99m Tc obtaining technique and give quantitative and qualitative results.
Production of medical radioactive isotopes using KIPT electron driven subcritical facility
Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 2008
Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology (KIPT) of Ukraine in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has a plan to construct an electron accelerator driven subcritical assembly. One of the facility objectives is the production of medical radioactive isotopes. This paper presents the ANL collaborative work performed for characterizing the facility performance for producing medical radioactive isotopes. First, a preliminary assessment was performed without including the self-shielding effect of the irradiated samples. Then, more detailed investigation was carried out including the self-shielding effect, which defined the sample size and location for producing each medical isotope. In the first part, the reaction rates were calculated as the multiplication of the cross section with the unperturbed neutron flux of the facility. Over fifty isotopes have been considered and all transmutation channels are used including (n, g), (n, 2n), (n, p), and (g, n). In the second part, the parent isotopes with high reaction rate were explicitly modeled in the calculations. Four irradiation locations were considered in the analyses to study the medical isotope production rate. The results show the self-shielding effect not only reduces the specific activity but it also changes the irradiation location that maximizes the specific activity. The axial and radial distributions of the parent capture rates have been examined to define the irradiation sample size of each parent isotope.
Design of High Energy Linac for Generation of Isotopes for Medical Applications
2021
After successful implementation of 6 and 15 MeV electron linear accelerator (linac) technology for Cancer Therapy in India, we initiated the development of high energy high current accelerator for the production of radioisotopes for diagnostic applications. The accelerator will be of 30 MeV energy with 350 µA average current provided by a gridded gun. The linac is a side coupled standing wave accelerator operating at 2998 MHz frequency operating at p/2 mode. The choice of p/2 operating mode is particularly suitable for this case where the repetition rate will be around 400 Hz. Klystron with 7 MW peak power and 36 kW average power will be used as the RF source. The modulator will be a solid-state modulator. The control system is FPGA based setup developed in-house at SAMEER. A retractable target with tungsten will be used as a converter to generate X-rays via bremsstrahlung. The x-rays will then interact with enriched 100Mo target to produce 99Mo via (g, n) reaction. Eluted 99mTc wil...
2013
The University of Washington Clinical Cyclotron (UWCC) is a Scanditronix MC50 compact cyclotron installed in 1983. The cyclotron has now been in operation for 30 years and has been used to treat approximately 3000 patients. Its primary purpose is the production of 50.5 MeV protons used to bombard a beryllium target to produce neutrons for fast neutron therapy. The unique nature of the cyclotron is its variable frequency Rf system, and dual ion source chimneys; it is also capable of producing other particles and energies. Our facility is now sharing beam time among multiple users: Fast neutron radiotherapy. Development of a Precision Proton Radiotherapy Platform. In vivo verification of precision proton radiotherapy with positron emission tomography. Routine production of 211-At. Routine production of 117m-Sn. Cyclotron based 99m-Tc production. Cyclotron based 186-Re production. Proton beam extracted into air, demonstrating a visual Bragg peak. Neutron hardness test...
Cyclotron production of 99mTc: an approach to the medical isotope crisis
2010
From the Newsline editor: Strategies to counter increasingly challenging and unpredictable medical isotope supply shortages have ranged from proposals to build new networks of nuclear reactors to requirements for higher levels of coordination and cooperative planning among existing international producers. Here, a group of Canadian academic and industry researchers propose a different solution with potential for near-term implementation.
The European Physical Journal Plus, 2023
The production of medical radionuclides is one of the research activities carried out in the framework of the SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) project under the completion stage at the Legnaro National Laboratories of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN-LNL). The heart of SPES is the 70-MeV proton cyclotron having a dual-beam extraction, installed and commissioned in a new building equipped with ancillary laboratories currently under construction. The SPES main goal is the realization of an advanced ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) facility to produce re-accelerated exotic ion beams for fundamental nuclear physics studies. The cyclotron double-beam extraction system allows to simultaneously carry out applied research, such as radionuclides production for medicine (SPES-γ ). This paper summarizes the results obtained with the interdisciplinary projects LARAMED (LAboratory of RAdionuclides for MEDicine) and ISOLPHARM (ISOL technique for radioPHARMaceuticals). The first one, based upon the direct activation method, is focused on the production of the radionuclides under the spotlight of the international community (e.g., 99m Tc, 67 Cu, 52/51 Mn, 47 Sc and Tb isotopes), from the nuclear cross-section measurements up to the preclinical studies. The other one exploits the ISOL technique for the development and production of radioisotopes with higha e-mail:
Cyclotron Production of Tc-99m: An Approach to the Medical Isotope Crisis
Journal of Nuclear Medicine
From the Newsline editor: Strategies to counter increasingly challenging and unpredictable medical isotope supply shortages have ranged from proposals to build new networks of nuclear reactors to requirements for higher levels of coordination and cooperative planning among existing international producers. Here, a group of Canadian academic and industry researchers propose a different solution with potential for near-term implementation. D irect production of 99m Tc from isotopically enriched 100 Mo via proton bombardment has received little attention, despite the fact that measured production yields indicate that up to 1.4 TBq of 99m Tc can be produced in 6 h using a high-current, medium-energy medical cyclotron. If produced with suitable radioisotopic and chemical purity, such an amount of 99m Tc would suffice to fulfill the requirements of a large metropolitan area. We compared the chemical, radiochemical, and biologic properties of cyclotron-and generatorderived 99m Tc for common nuclear imaging procedures. Our results, presented here for Newsline readers, suggest that a medical cyclotron can produce U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)compliant, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-grade 99m Tc radiopharmaceuticals that can be used as a substitute for generator-derived 99m Tc radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear imaging procedures. Direct production of 99m Tc using cyclotrons can be considered as a potential means to alleviate the current (and recurrent) challenges in isotope supply. Implementing networks of medium-energy, high-current medical cyclotrons would reduce reliance on nuclear reactors and attenuate the negative consequences associated with the use of fission technology.
Sandia National Laboratories Medical Isotope Reactor concept
2010
This report describes the Sandia National Laboratories Medical Isotope Reactor and hot cell facility concepts. The reactor proposed is designed to be capable of producing 100% of the U.S. demand for the medical isotope 99 Mo. The concept is novel in that the fuel for the reactor and the targets for the 99 Mo production are the same. There is no driver core required. The fuel pins that are in the reactor core are processed on a 7 to 21 day irradiation cycle. The fuel is low enriched uranium oxide enriched to less than 20% 235 U. The fuel pins are approximately 1 cm in diameter and 30 to 40 cm in height, clad with Zircaloy (zirconium alloy). Approximately 90 to 150 fuel pins are arranged in the core in a water pool ~30 ft deep. The reactor power level is 1 to 2 MW. The reactor concept is a simple design that is passively safe and maintains negative reactivity coefficients. The total radionuclide inventory in the reactor core is minimized since the fuel/target pins are removed and processed after 7 to 21 days. The fuel fabrication, reactor design and operation, and 99 Mo production processing use well-developed technologies that minimize the technological and licensing risks. There are no impediments that prevent this type of reactor, along with its collocated hot cell facility, from being designed, fabricated, and licensed today.
Medical Radioisotopes Production Without A Nuclear Reactor
2010
This report is answering the key question: Is it possible to ban the use of research reactors for the production of medical radioisotopes? A recent bulletin of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) on nuclear medicine stated: "Over 10,000 hospitals worldwide use radioisotopes in medicine, and about 90% of the procedures are for diagnosis. The most common radioisotope used in diagnosis is technetium-99m (in technical jargon: 99m Tc), with some 30 million procedures per year, accounting for 80% of all nuclear medicine procedures worldwide." 1 Other sources mentions the figure 80-85% 2 , and the figure of 90% of all diagnostic 1
Acta Physica Polonica A
In this study, the medical radioisotope production performance of a conceptual accelerator-driven system is investigated. Lead-bismuth eutectic is used as target material. The fuel core of the considered accelerator-driven system is divided into ten subzones, loaded with uranium carbide and various isotopes (isotopes of copper, gold, cobalt, holmium, rhenium, scandium, and thulium) and cooled with light water. As is known, light water is an effective moderator of neutrons as well as a good coolant. The fuel and the isotopes are separately placed as cylindrical rods with a cladding of carbon composite. The volume fractions of fuel, isotope, cladding and coolant are selected as 25%, 35%, 10% and 30%, respectively. The copper rods are placed into the first five subzones due to the fact that copper isotopes have low capture cross-section. In the case of the each radioisotope production, one of the other considered isotopes that have higher capture cross-section are placed into the following five subzones for optimization of fission, fissile breeding and radioisotope production. The graphite zone is located around the fuel core to reflect the escaping neutrons. Boron carbide (B4C) is used as shielding material. In order to produce more neutrons (about 25-30 neutrons per 1 GeV proton), the target is irradiated with a continuous beam of 1 GeV protons. All neutronic computations have been performed with the high-energy Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code using the LA150 data library. The neutronic results obtained from these calculations show that the examined accelerator-driven system has a high neutronic capability, in terms of production of thermal power, fissile fuels, and medical radioisotopes.
STUDY OF THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF PRODUCING At-211 IN CYCLOTRON TYPE PARTICLE ACCELERATORS(Atena Editora), 2024
Many chemical elements are irradiated to generate radionuclides and be used as radiopharmaceuticals for both diagnosis and therapy. Astatinium 211, whose production with the CV-28 Cyclotron at the Institute of Nuclear Engineering (IEN) is the subject of study here, has great potential for use in medical therapy. Astatinium 211 can be used satisfactorily in therapy as it has a half-life of 7.2 hours and decays both by electronic capture and by the emission of alpha particles, which makes it particularly suitable for the treatment of oncological diseases, due to the very localized ionization action of this type of charged particle. Astatinium 211, when used in association with iodine 123, makes joint therapy and diagnosis actions viable (Theranostics). In the production of this radioisotope we need to pay attention to its parameters such as the current and irradiation energy of the Bismuth target. Therefore, the entire production process requires studies and care that are essential to its completion. The success of marking specific molecules to be used as radiopharmaceuticals also strongly depends on the physicochemical properties of the irradiation product to be used in its production process, which may even make it unviable. Our country is not yet dealing with the production of this radioisotope, hence the importance of this study in enabling its production and being able to be tested for use in Nuclear Medicine in the treatment of oncological diseases. The present work aims to verify the feasibility of producing this radioactive isotope of astatinium through irradiation of a bismuth target using an alpha particle beam from the Cyclotron CV-28 accelerator. We concluded that through these parameters, we were able to produce the radioisotope with adequate yield and activity.
Implementation of Multi-Curie Production of 99mTc by Conventional Medical Cyclotrons
Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 2014
99m Tc is currently produced by an aging fleet of nuclear reactors, which require enriched uranium and generate nuclear waste. We report the development of a comprehensive solution to produce 99m Tc in sufficient quantities to supply a large urban area using a single medical cyclotron. Methods: A new target system was designed for 99m Tc production. Target plates made of tantalum were coated with a layer of 100 Mo by electrophoretic deposition followed by high-temperature sintering. The targets were irradiated with 18-MeV protons for up to 6 h, using a medical cyclotron. The targets were automatically retrieved and dissolved in 30% H 2 O 2. 99m Tc was purified by solid-phase extraction or biphasic exchange chromatography. Results: Between 1.04 and 1.5 g of 100 Mo were deposited on the tantalum plates. After high-temperature sintering, the 100 Mo formed a hard, adherent layer that bonded well with the backing surface. The targets were irradiated for 1-6.9 h at 20-240 μA of proton beam current, producing up to 348 GBq (9.4 Ci) of 99m Tc. The resulting pertechnetate passed all standard quality control procedures and could be used to reconstitute typical anionic, cationic, and neutral technetium radiopharmaceutical kits. Conclusion: The direct production of 99m Tc via proton bombardment of 100 Mo can be practically achieved in high yields using conventional medical cyclotrons. With some modifications of existing cyclotron infrastructure, this approach can be used to implement a decentralized medical isotope production model. This method eliminates the need for enriched uranium and the radioactive waste associated with the processing of uranium targets.
MCC-30/15 Cyclotron-based System for Production of Radionuclides Project
2017
The projected СС-30/15 cyclotron system is intended for operation in high-technology nuclear medicine centers. The system consists of a cyclotron, target systems for production of radionuclides in liquid, gaseous and solid states and a system for transport of accelerated ions to final units. The updated СС-30/15 cyclotron with new systems for external injection, RF power supply and acceleration will ensure production of accelerated proton and deuteron beams in energy ranges of 18-30 and 9-15 MeV and currents not lower than 200 and 70 μА, respectively. Target systems are equipped with mechanisms for remote replacement of gaseous and liquid targets. Modular configuration of the beam transport system will allow the production of isotopes and carrying out of researches to be performed in separate experimental halls.