Medical Radioisotopes Produced Using the Alpha Particle Beam from the Warsaw Heavy Ion Cyclotron

Abstract

The internal alpha particle beam of the heavy ion cyclotron operated by the Heavy Ion Laboratory (HIL) of the University of Warsaw has a maximum energy of 32 MeV and currently an intensity of up to 1 pµA. This beam is used by the HIL-University of Silesia collaboration for the production of research quantities of 211 At, 72 Se/ 72 As and 43,44 Sc radioisotopes. The produced activities are transported to the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology in Warsaw where research on therapeutic and imaging radiopharmaceuticals based on these radioisotopes is pursued.

Radiometals for imaging and theranostics, current production, and future perspectives

“…33,34 90 Y (T 1/2 = 2.67 d) is a pure β − -particle-emitting radionuclide (E βmax = 2.284 MeV). 90 Y decays to stable 90 Zr. Because of the high energy of β-particles that allow for high dose deposition (with an average and maximum soft tissue penetration of 2.5 and 11 mm, respectively), 35 it has been used in variety of targeted radiotherapy applications, including 90 Y-labelled colloid, 36 tumour-targeting antibodies, 37,38 and resin/glass microspheres for catheter-directed embolization of hepatic malignancy and metastases.…”

“…At present, the interest in 86 Y imaging is limited, and the perspectives for 90 Y are changing with the newer applications of 90 Y emissions. Although the vast majority of 90 Y decays result in therapeutic β − -particle emission, a small fraction of decays result in pair production that produces annihilation radiation.…”

“…The 511 keV photon peak can be detected and imaged using conventional PET imaging systems. [49][50][51] PET detection of 90 Y internal pair production represents a promising approach for even more accurate 90 Y quantification in vitro and in vivo by minimizing the previously noted challenges associated with 90 Y Bremsstrahlung imaging. It also may be more advantageous for dosimetry determination than 86 Y imaging.…”

“…It also may be more advantageous for dosimetry determination than 86 Y imaging. 52 Another innovative approach for imaging using 90 Y is the detection of Cerenkov radiation (CR), that is, ultraviolet and visible light emitted in the presence of high-energy β − -particle and positron-emitting radionuclides. 53 This effect can be used for Cerenkov luminescence imaging.…”

“…The term is often used to consider other (unknown) material present in a sample, competing with the labelled product in its chemical or biological reactions, such as the complexation process. For instance, the presence of metal cations of Zn, Cu, or Fe in solutions of trivalent radiometals ( 68 Ga, 90 Y, 177 Lu, etc) would compete with the radiometal in the DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N‴-tetraacetic acid) coordination sphere. [11][12][13]…”