Production of 47Sc with natural vanadium targets: results of the PASTA project

The goal of PASTA project (acronym for production with accelerator of 47Sc for theranostic applications) is the determination of excitation functions associated to several nuclear reactions, aimed at yielding the theranostic radionuclide 47Sc. This work reports the main results obtained by irradiating natural vanadium targets with proton beams up to 70 MeV. Particular care is also given to the co-production of 46Sc, the only isotopic contaminant with half-life longer than 47Sc. Experimental results are compared with theoretical studies by means of known nuclear reaction software tools that are publicly available

New production cross sections for the theranostic radionuclide 67Cu

The cross sections of the 68Zn(p,2p)67Cu, 68Zn(p,2n)67Ga and 68Zn(p,3n)66Ga reactions were measured at the ARRONAX facility by using the 70 MeV cyclotron, with particular attention to the production of the theranostic radionuclide 67Cu. Enriched 68Zn material was electroplated on silver backing and exposed to a low-intensity proton beam by using the stacked-foils target method. Since 67Cu and 67Ga radionuclides have similar half-lives and same γ-lines (they both decay to 67Zn), a radiochemical process aimed at Cu/Ga separation was mandatory to avoid interferences in γ-spectrometry measurements. A simple chemical procedure having a high separation efficiency (>99%) was developed and monitored during each foil processing, thanks to the tracer isotopes 61Cu and 66Ga. Nuclear cross sections were measured in the energy range 35–70 MeV by using reference reactions recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor beam flux. In comparison with literature data a general good agreement on the trend of the nuclear reactions was noted, especially with latest measurements, but slightly lower values were obtained in case of 67Cu. Experimental results of the 68Zn(p,2p)67Cu, 68Zn(p,2n)67Ga and 68Zn(p,3n)66Ga reactions were also compared with the theoretical values estimated by using the software TALYS. The production yield of the theranostic radionuclide 67Cu was estimated considering the results obtained in this work

Cyclotron-based production of innovative medical radionuclides at the INFN-LNL: state of the art and perspective

The production of medical radionuclides is one of the research activities carried out in the framework of the SPES (SelectiveProduction of Exotic Species) project under the completion stage at the Legnaro National Laboratories of the National Institute forNuclear Physics (INFN-LNL). The heart of SPES is the 70 MeV proton cyclotron having a dual-beam extraction, installed andcommissioned in a new building equipped with ancillary laboratories currently under construction. The SPES main goal is therealization of an advanced ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) facility to produce re-accelerated exotic ion beams for fundamentalnuclear physics studies. The cyclotron double-beam extraction system allows to simultaneously carry out applied research, such asradionuclides production for medicine (SPES-gamma). This paper summarizes the results obtained with the interdisciplinary projectsLARAMED (LAboratory of RAdionuclides for MEDicine) and ISOLPHARM (ISOL technique for radioPHARMaceuticals). The firstone, based upon the direct activation method, is focused on the production of the radionuclides under the spotlight of the internationalcommunity (e.g., 99mTc, 67Cu, 51/52Mn, 47Sc and Tb isotopes), from the nuclear cross-section measurements up to the preclinicalstudies. The other one exploits the ISOL technique for the development and production of radioisotopes with high-specific activity,such as 111Ag, going beyond the state of the art in the field. The most recent SPES-gamma research activities and future perspective are heredescribed, characterized by a consolidated network of collaborations with national and international institutions

Upgrade of the HIVIPP Deposition Apparatus for Nuclear Physics Thin Targets Manufacturing

The High Energy Vibrational Powder Plating (HIVIPP) technique allows for the preparation of targets starting from refractory metal powders with negligible material losses during the process, thus preserving the expensive isotope-enriched materials. An upgraded HIVIPP apparatus was developed at the Legnaro National Laboratory of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN-LNL), and it is reported in this work. Particular attention was paid to the design of the sample holder, the automation of the power supply, and the control of the process, all with the aim of obtaining a versatile and reliable apparatus. Several tests have been carried out and the related results are reported proving the flexibility of the apparatus and the process reproducibility. The main result is a 'ready to use' technology at INFN-LNL for the preparation of isotopically enriched refractory metal targets that cannot be manufactured using standard techniques

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction > 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR < 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR > 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening

Accelerator-based production of Mo-99: a comparison between the Mo-100(p,x) and Zr-96(alpha,n) reactions

International audienceInnovative accelerator-based production routes for Mo-99 (and Tc-99m) have been studied, comparing the Mo-100(p,x)Mo-99,Tc-99m and Zr-96(alpha,n)Mo-99 reactions, for which a new set of measurement has been made. Theoretical and experimental cross sections have been analysed and used to calculate Mo-99 production yields and specific activity (SA), considering fully enriched and commercially available target materials. Results show that the low SA resulting from the p-based route forces the use of alternative generator systems, while the alpha-based reaction provides very high SA Mo-99 but much lower yield. Benefits and drawbacks of direct Tc-99m production via the Mo-100(p,2p) reaction are also discussed

Experimental cross section evaluation for innovative Mo-99 production via the (alpha,n) reaction on Zr-96 target

International audienceThe high-specific activity Mo-99 accelerator-based production, via the (alpha,n) reaction on Zr-96-enriched target, has been investigated in the present work. The excitation function measurement has been performed in the energy range 8-34 MeV at the ARRONAX facility, using the well-known stacked foils technique on natural zirconium as target. A general good agreement in the cross section trend has been observed, once compared to former measurements. A different (i.e. higher) peak value and a shift of about 2 MeV towards larger energies have however been found. Assuming a fully enriched Zr-96 target irradiated by an alpha-beam at suitable energy (E = 25 MeV), the Mo-99 production yield has thus been estimated. At last the alternative production routes, based on the Zr-96(alpha,n)Mo-99 and Mo-100(p,x)Mo-99/Tc-99m reactions, are compared

Nuclear data for light charged particle induced production of emerging medical radionuclides

International audienceWhatever the radionuclide to be used in nuclear medicine, it is essential to know the expected yield during the production process, but also of all the possible radionuclidic impurities coproduced, that can have an impact on the product final quality, as well as in the related waste management. The availability of the majority of emerging radioisotopes, including the theranostic ones or pairs, is mainly limited by the fact that, for most of them, the optimal production route still needs to be strengthened if not defined in some cases. The aim of this work is to present a review on the charged particle induced nuclear cross sections to produce some emerging radionuclides for medical applications to show that all types of projectiles should be considered in the quest of producing medical radionuclides. An accurate analysis of the production routes is presented for some radionuclides ( 67 Cu, 47 Sc, 89 Zr, 103 Pd, 186g Re, 97 Ru, 211 At) chosen as examples to highlight (i) how the quality of the final product strongly depends on the chosen target/projectile/energy parameters set, (ii) how deuteron production routes may sometimes be more effective than the proton ones or lead to a different impurity profile and (iii) how α-particle beams may allow to bypass the limitations occurring when using Z = 1 beams. An overview of possible advantages and drawbacks of the cited production routes and of potential cross sections that still need to be measured, is also reported