Efficiency of 124 I radioisotope production from natural and enriched tellurium dioxide using 124 Te(p,xn) 124 I reaction

• Published in: EJNMMI physics Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 41
• Main Authors: Bzowski, Paweł, Borys, Damian, Gorczewski, Kamil, Chmura, Agnieszka, Daszewska, Kinga, Gorczewska, Izabela, Kastelik-Hryniewiecka, Anna, Szydło, Marcin, d'Amico, Andrea, Sokół, Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 06.06.2022
• Subjects: Nuclear medicine; Cyclotron; Monte Carlo; 124-I; Production; PET-CT; Radioisotope; Iodine
• ISSN: 2197-7364; 2197-7364

I Iodine (T[Formula: see text] = 4.18 d) is the only long-life positron emitter radioisotope of iodine that may be used for both imaging and therapy as well as for I dosimetry. Its physical characteristics permits taking advantages of the higher Positron Emission Tomography (PET) image quality, whereas the availability of new molecules to be targeted with I makes it a novel innovative radiotracer probe for a specific molecular targeting. In this study Monte Carlo and SRIM/TRIM modelling was applied to predict the nuclear parameters of the I production process in a small medical cyclotron IBA 18/9 Cyclone. The simulation production yields for I and the polluting radioisotopes were  calculated for the natural and enriched TeO   +  Al O   solid targets irradiated with 14.8 MeV protons. The proton beam was degraded energetically from 18 MeV with 0.2 mm Havar foil. The  Te(p,xn) I reactions were taken into account in the simulations. The optimal thickness of the target material was calculated using the SRIM/TRIM and Geant4 codes. The results of the simulations were compared with the experimental data obtained for the natural TeO +Al O target. The dry distillation technique of the 124-iodine was applied. The experimental efficiency for the natural Te target was better than 41% with an average thick target (>0.8 mm) yield of 1.32 MBq/μAh. Joining the Monte Carlo and experimental approaches makes it possible to optimize the methodology for the I production from the expensive Te enriched targets.