Technetium and other radioactive isotopes in healthcare
Scientists of the National Centre for Nuclear Research in
Poland (NCBJ) recently presented some promising results of research on targets
suitable for production of technetium-99m in accelerators. A paper on this work was published in the June edition
of Applied Radiation and Isotopes.
A proprietary method to produce targets suitable for
production of technetium-99m in accelerators was developed at the NCBJ
Radioisotope Centre (POLATOM). POLATOM is producing and delivering 99mTc
generators to hospitals in several countries
99Mo is produced from uranium targets irradiated in several research
reactors, including the NCBJ-operated Maria reactor. However, alternative
methods to produce technetium-99m in accelerators have been intensively
searched since the last global crisis in supplies of molybdenum-99.
Technetium-99m may be accelerator-produced using reactions of
protons with 100Mo, a stable molybdenum isotope. – “Molybdenum targets to be irradiated in
accelerators must first of all be highly enriched and chemically pure,
otherwise some undesired isotopes might be produced in result of proton irradiation.” –
explains Dr. Izabela Cieszykowska from POLATOM, leader of the project. – “The targets must be mechanically strong
enough to survive bombarding by intense proton beams, but also porous enough to
enable quick dissolving after irradiation (in order to enable efficient
extraction of the produced technetium-99m, a short-lived isotope with half-life
of only about 6 hours). Finally, their thermal and electrical conductivity must
be high enough.”
NCBJ scientists have proposed to press molybdenum-100
enriched molybdenum powder into 1 cm diameter and less than 1 mm thick pellets,
then to sinter the pellets in a hydrogen atmosphere. Mechanical strength of
such targets is strongly dependent on the pressing pressure and the sintering
time. The pellets were tested in NCBJ Material Testing Lab. The most promising
samples were irradiated with protons delivered by the GE-PETtrace cyclotron
operated in Warsaw University Heavy Ion Lab (ŚLCJ).
To read more
please visit https://www.ncbj.gov.pl/en/aktualnosci/technetium-and-other-radioactive-isotopes-healthcare
Source: NCBJ