1. Recent Trends in Radioisotope Production by Using Cyclotron
Sujata Saha Das
BRIT, VECC, Kolkata.
TMUFC-2012

2. Radioisotope Use in Nuclear Medicine.
Radioisotope Use in Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear Medicine
Application in
Radioisotope
(Organ Imaging)
Diagnostic
99mTc
80%
Other Radioisotopes
20%
Therapeutic
TMUFC-2012

3. Important Radioisotopes used in Diagnostic Imaging
Half life, hour
Decay mode
99mTc 6 IT
18F
1.83 b+
201Tl
73.5 EC
123I
13.3
67Ga
78.3
TMUFC-2012

4. Speciality of 99mTc Nuclear Property: 140 keV -ray, 6 hr half life
Exists in several oxidation states (+I to +VII)
Ability to form Chelating complex
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5. Fission of 235U Mo-99 at peak of fission mass distribution
~ 6 % of fissions yield Mo-99 (Half life of 66 h)
TMUFC-2012

6. Fission based 99Mo production at research reactors worldwide
Country
Name
Target type
Share of Production %
Canada
NRU
HEU 40
Netherlands
HFR 30
Belgium
BR-2
10-15
South Africa
Safari-1
France
Osiris
5-8
TMUFC-2012

7. Global Supply Chain of 99Mo and Subsequent Utilization Schematics
TMUFC-2012

8. Radioisotope Generators
Parent longer half life > Daughter shorter half life >
99Mo 66h, b- 99mTc 6h, IT Tc
TMUFC-2012

9. Alternative Production Routes
Neutron approaches
–LEU 235U(n,F)99Mo
–98Mo(n,γ)99Mo
Photon approaches
–238U(γ,F) 99Mo
–100Mo(γ,n) 99Mo
Proton approach
–100Mo(p,2n)99mTc
(Direct production )
1971 – Beaver and Hupf report
100Mo(p,2n)99mTc in JNM Vol. 12 pp
TMUFC-2012

10. Isotopic Composition of Molybdenum
Isotope Natural Enriched 97.39% Enriched 99.54%
92Mo
94Mo
95Mo
96Mo
97Mo
98Mo
100Mo
TMUFC-2012

11. Reactions on Other Molybdenum Isotopes
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12. Theoretical Calculations - Excitation Functions
100Mo(p,x) reactions of highest probability
99gTc
99gTc
98Tc
98Tc
99mTc
99mTc
99Mo
99Mo
A. Celler, X. Hou, F. Bénard, T. Ruth, Phys. Med. Biol. 2011, 56, 5469
TMUFC-2012

13. Theoretical Calculations: Yield vs. Energy
Natural (9.63%) 100Mo
Enriched (99.54%) 100Mo
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14. Our Findings on 99mTc Production by natMo(p,xn) Reactions: Part of IAEA CRP Work
TMUFC-2012

15. Process Schematic Diagram (Patented Work)
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16. Apparatus for Chemical Processing of 99mTc
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17. extraction methodology (IAEA CRP work)
Chemical Processing unit for separation of 99mTc from molybdenum using solvent
extraction methodology (IAEA CRP work)
TMUFC-2012

18. Challenges in 99mTc Production in Cyclotron
Target Fabrication
Electroplating (Electroplated is not thick enough for irradiation)
Pressing and sintering
Target Recovery
Enriched targets (>97%) required are costly ($ 2-4 / mg)
TMUFC-2012

19. List of Publications on 99mTc
An automated computer controlled system for recovery of medically useful 99mTc from (n,g)99Mo produced in research reactor: a BRIT-VECC Collaboration (2010) VECC Newsletter, Vol. 12(3), pp.3-4, September.
Chattopadhyay S., Saha Das S., Barua L. (2010) A simple and rapid technique for recovery of 99mTc from low specific activity (n,γ)99Mo based on solid-liquid extraction and column chromatography methodologies. Nucl. Med. Biol. 37 (1),
Chattopadhyay S., Saha Das S., Barua L. (2010) A simple and rapid technique for recovery of 99mTc from low specific activity (n,γ)99Mo based on solvent extraction and column chromatography . Appl. Radiat. Isot., 68(1), 1-4.
Chattopadhyay S., Saha Das S., Das M. K., Goomer N. C. (2008) Recovery of 99mTc from Na2[99Mo]MoO4 solution obtained from reactor produced (n,γ)99Mo using a tiny Dowex-1 column in tandem with a small alumina column. Appl. Radiat. Isot., 66(12),
Chattopadhyay S. and Das M. K. (2008) A novel technique for the effective concentration of 99mTc from a large alumina column loaded with low specific-activity (n, γ)-produced 99Mo. Appl. Radiat. Isot., 66 (10),
Chattopadhyay S., Das M. K., Sarkar B. R. and Ramamoorthy N. (2002) Separation of pertechnetate from molybdate by anion-exchange chromatography : Recovery of 99mTc from (n, g)99Mo and suitability for use in central radiopharmacy (CRPh). Radiochimica Acta, 90(7),
Chattopadhyay S., Das M. K., Sarkar S. K., Saraswathy P. and Ramamoorthy N. (2002) A novel 99mTc delivery system using (n, g)99Mo adsorbed on a large alumina column in tandem with Dowex-1 and AgCl columns. Appl. Radiat. Isot. 57, 7-16.
TMUFC-2012

20. TMUFC-2012

21. 68Ge/68Ga Generator 68Ga is a Generator produced positron emitter
This generator makes positron emitters available in a place far away from a cyclotron centre
This generator can last for more than 1 Year
90 % of equilibrium activity is reaches in 4h
100mCi 68Ge costs Rs lakh
TMUFC-2012

22. 68Ge/68Ga Generator
Nuclear reaction: 69Ga(p, 2n) 68Ge 68Ge 68Ga 68Zn smax = ~550mb at ~20 MeV Typical Production data Ep :~ 25MeV, Ip :~50mA, Duration of irradiation: 4 weeks 68Ge yield: mCi at EOB
271d, EC
68m, b+
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23. Commercial Route of 68Ge Production
69Ga + p 68Ge + 2n
Energy range for production MeV
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24. 68Ge/68Ga Generator Production of 68Ge Preparation of Generator
69Ga(p, 2n)68Ge
Preparation of Generator
66Zn(a, 2n) 68Ge
TMUFC-2012

25. Internal Target Target is mounted at the end of the Target probe shaft
Cooling water Cu Base Electroplated
Line Zinc
Isometric view
Longitutudinal section
Cyclotron Dee
Internal target
Cooling water line
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26. Evaluation of the Indigenously Made 68Ge/68Ga Generator
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27. 68Ge Breakthrough
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28. 65Zn Impurity
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29. Acknowledgement All my colleagues in BRIT, VECC
Mechanical Engineering Group
Power Supplies & Instrumentation Division
Nuclear Electronics Section
Accelerator Physics Division
RIB Group
TMUFC-2012

30. Thank You
TMUFC-2012