PRODUCTION OF 64Cu AND OTHER RADIONUCLIDES USING A CHARGED-PARTICLE ACCELERATOR

摘要

Radionuclides are produced at commercially significant yields and at specific activities which are suitable for use in PET imaging agents and radiotherapeutic agents and/or compositions. A solid target (10, 101) having an isotopically enriched target layer electroplated on an inert substrate is positioned in a target holder (30) and irradiated with a charged-particle beam. The beam is generated using a biomedical cyclotron at energies ranging from about 5 MeV to about 25 MeV. The target (10, 101) is directly irradiated, without an intervening attenuating foil, and with the charged particle beam impinging an area which substantially matches the target area. The irradiated target (10, 101) is remotely and automatically transferred from the target holder (30), to a pneumatic or hydraulic conveyance system (112), and then further transferred to an automatic separation system (130). After separation, the unreacted target material can be recycled for preparation of other targets.