ALTERNATIVE Tc-99m PRODUCTION PROCESS

Technetium | Radionuclides | Nuclear Medicine | Cyclotron | Medical Imaging

INTRODUCTION

Technetium-99m, routinely used for almost 80% of all diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures worldwide, represents the most widespread gamma-emitting radionuclide. Actually,the need for this radionuclide is supplied weekly by reactor-based common Mo99/Tc99m generators. The developed technologies propose an in-house and direct Tc99m production strategy, based on proton irradiation of Mo-100 targets, through a commercial cyclotron, also usable for other radionuclides’ production.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

The dramatic shortage of the global supply chain of reactor-produced Mo-99, the parent nuclide for Tc99m, has forced the scientific community to investigate alternative routes for Technetium production. One of the most attractive solution is represented by the direct, cyclotron-based production technique. In this framework INFN proposes a closed-loop cycle for this radioisotope production: a) Mo-100 targets manufacturing, b) Irradiation with proton accelerators c) Radiochemical dissolution, d) Solvent extraction, e) Purification, f) Mo-100 recovery. All the steps have been successfully tested and validated. The Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technology applied to targets realization ensures a significant reduction in production times and enriched isotope material saving. The complete automatized procedure for dissolution, extraction and purification drastically reduces the personnel radiation exposures and guarantees an high radionuclidic purity (>99%), over the standards required by European Pharmacopoeia.

POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS

Radiopharmaceuticals production for diagnostic imaging.

ADVANTAGES

Reduction in targets production times;
Personnel's exposure reduction;
High production yield ~93%;
High radionuclidic purity >99% (ref. Eu-Pharm. >95%);
Mo-100 recovery level 95%.

KNOW-HOW INFORMATION

OWNER

INFN

COMMERCIAL RIGHTS

Exclusive

AVAILABILITY

Available

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