Recent achievements in Tc-99m radiopharmaceutical direct production by medical cyclotrons. (2nd September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Boschi, Alessandra; Martini, Petra; Pasquali, Micol; Uccelli, Licia
• Is Part Of: Drug development and industrial pharmacy. Volume 43:Number 9(2017)
• Page Start: 1402
• Page End: 1412
• Publication Date: 2017-09-02
• Subjects: Technetium-99m -- radiopharmaceuticals -- cyclotrons -- nuclear imaging -- diagnostic procedure; Pharmaceutical chemistry -- Periodicals; Pharmaceutical industry -- Periodicals; Drug Industry -- Periodicals; Technology, Pharmaceutical -- Periodicals; 615.05
• DOI: 10.1080/03639045.2017.1323911
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0363-9045

Abstract

Abstract: 99m Tc is the most commonly used radionuclide in the field of diagnostic imaging, a noninvasive method intended to diagnose a disease, assess the disease state and monitor the effects of treatments. Annually, the use of 99m Tc, covers about 85% of nuclear medicine applications. This isotope releases gamma rays at about the same wavelength as conventional X-ray diagnostic equipment, and owing to its short half-life ( t ½ = 6 h) is ideal for diagnostic nuclear imaging. A patient can be injected with a small amount of 99m Tc and within 24 h almost 94% of the injected radionuclide would have decayed and left the body, limiting the patient's radiation exposure. 99m Tc is usually supplied to hospitals through a 99 Mo/ 99m Tc radionuclide generator system where it is produced from the β decay of the parent nuclide 99 Mo ( t ½ = 66 h), which is produced in nuclear reactors via neutron fission. Recently, the interruption of the global supply chain of reactor-produced 99 Mo, has forced the scientific community to investigate alternative production routes for 99m Tc. One solution was to consider cyclotron-based methods as potential replacement of reactor-based technology and the nuclear reaction 100 Mo( p, 2 n ) 99m Tc emerged as the most worthwhile approach. This review reports some achievements about 99m Tc produced by medical cyclotrons. In particular, the available technologies for target design, the most efficient extraction and separation procedure developed for the purification of 99m Tc from the irradiated targets, the preparation of high purity 99m Tc radiopharmaceuticals and the first clinical studies carried out with cyclotron produced 99m Tc are described.