{"id":4364,"date":"2025-04-10T11:10:56","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T09:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/TechTransfer\/portfolio_page\/method-and-target-for-the-production-of-cu-67\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T10:58:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T09:58:00","slug":"method-and-target-for-the-production-of-cu-67","status":"publish","type":"portfolio_page","link":"https:\/\/web.infn.it\/TechTransfer\/en\/portfolio_page\/method-and-target-for-the-production-of-cu-67\/","title":{"rendered":"METHOD AND TARGET FOR THE PRODUCTION OF Cu-67"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_raw_html]W3dwc2VvX2JyZWFkY3J1bWJd[\/vc_raw_html][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

METHOD AND TARGET FOR THE PRODUCTION OF Cu-67<\/h1>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]The invention concerns the production of Cu-67, a radionuclide of nuclear-medical interest for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In particular, a method has been devised for the production of Cu-67 using cyclotron-produced proton beams in the 70-10 MeV energy range and a target using two different isotopes of Zinc to maximise the production yield of Cu-67 and minimise that of Cu-64, its main contaminant.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”4365″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

How does it work?<\/span><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]In recent years there has been a significant increase in interest in the radionuclide Cu-67, thanks to its potential use in theranostics to select patients with a diagnostic investigation before undergoing therapy. The current method of production of Cu-67 radionuclide, which\u202finvolves irradiating Zn-68 targets, limits its broad and widespread use as it allows a low production of Cu-67 and the co-production, in large quantities, of the unwanted contaminant Cu-64. <\/p>\n

The present invention provides a method to maximise the Cu-67\/Cu-64 production ratio, thus being able to have high amounts of Cu-67 and a lower Cu-64 content. This is achieved by irradiating with proton beams, in the 70-10 MeV energy range, innovative targets composed of Zn-70 and Zn-68, characterized by appropriate thicknesses and arranged in a predetermined configuration.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Applications<\/span><\/h3>\n

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