Alberto Andrighetto (Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro)
Radionuclides of interest in nuclear medicine are generally produced in cyclotrons or nuclear reactors, with associated issues such as highly enriched target costs and undesired contaminants (carrier-added). The ISOLPHARM project (ISOL technique for RadioPHARMaceuticals) explores the feasibility of producing, at the SPES facility, extremely high specific activity neutron-rich radionuclides as radiopharmaceutical precursors. ISOLPHARM is also a collaboration between various University Departments and INFN sections and laboratories.
The Isolpharm technique will enable the production of radiopharmaceuticals very hardly obtained in standard production facilities. The most interesting candidate is the 111-Ag, a β- emitter (360 keV average energy) with γ-emissions, with a half-life of 7.45 days. By mean the ISOL method at SPES, it will be suitable to produce that radionuclide with high purity and high production rate. Its application as a radiopharmaceutical precursor has been evaluated in physics, chemistry, and biology. The collaboration main goal is now to develop an of innovative theragnostic radiopharmaceutical meeting the specific requirements for the efficient chelation and targeted delivery of 111-Ag.