14 MeV Neutrons for 99Mo/99mTc Production: Experiments, Simulations and Perspectives
Background: the gamma-emitting radionuclide Technetium-99m (99mTc) is still the workhorse of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) as it is used worldwide for the diagnosis of a variety of phatological conditions. 99mTc is obtained from 99Mo/99mTc generators as pertechnetate ion, which...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/8/1872 |
| _version_ | 1818994285073137664 |
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| author | Marco Capogni Antonino Pietropaolo Lina Quintieri Maurizio Angelone Alessandra Boschi Mauro Capone Nadia Cherubini Pierino De Felice Alessandro Dodaro Adriano Duatti Aldo Fazio Stefano Loreti Petra Martini Guglielmo Pagano Micol Pasquali Mario Pillon Licia Uccelli Aldo Pizzuto |
| author_facet | Marco Capogni Antonino Pietropaolo Lina Quintieri Maurizio Angelone Alessandra Boschi Mauro Capone Nadia Cherubini Pierino De Felice Alessandro Dodaro Adriano Duatti Aldo Fazio Stefano Loreti Petra Martini Guglielmo Pagano Micol Pasquali Mario Pillon Licia Uccelli Aldo Pizzuto |
| author_sort | Marco Capogni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: the gamma-emitting radionuclide Technetium-99m (99mTc) is still the workhorse of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) as it is used worldwide for the diagnosis of a variety of phatological conditions. 99mTc is obtained from 99Mo/99mTc generators as pertechnetate ion, which is the ubiquitous starting material for the preparation of 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals. 99Mo in such generators is currently produced in nuclear fission reactors as a by-product of 235U fission. Here we investigated an alternative route for the production of 99Mo by irradiating a natural metallic molybdenum powder using a 14-MeV accelerator-driven neutron source. Methods: after irradiation, an efficient isolation and purification of the final 99mTc-pertechnetate was carried out by means of solvent extraction. Monte Carlo simulations allowed reliable predictions of 99Mo production rates for a newly designed 14-MeV neutron source (New Sorgentina Fusion Source). Results: in traceable metrological conditions, a level of radionuclidic purity consistent with accepted pharmaceutical quality standards, was achieved. Conclusions: we showed that this source, featuring a nominal neutron emission rate of about 1015 s−1, may potentially supply an appreciable fraction of the current 99Mo global demand. This study highlights that a robust and viable solution, alternative to nuclear fission reactors, can be accomplished to secure the long-term supply of 99Mo. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:55:31Z |
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| id | doaj.art-f64bddce137a464b93ae842f0f2d59c0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:55:31Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-f64bddce137a464b93ae842f0f2d59c02022-12-21T19:26:49ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492018-07-01238187210.3390/molecules23081872molecules2308187214 MeV Neutrons for 99Mo/99mTc Production: Experiments, Simulations and PerspectivesMarco Capogni0Antonino Pietropaolo1Lina Quintieri2Maurizio Angelone3Alessandra Boschi4Mauro Capone5Nadia Cherubini6Pierino De Felice7Alessandro Dodaro8Adriano Duatti9Aldo Fazio10Stefano Loreti11Petra Martini12Guglielmo Pagano13Micol Pasquali14Mario Pillon15Licia Uccelli16Aldo Pizzuto17ENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Ludovico Ariosto, 35-44121 Ferrara, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Ludovico Ariosto 35, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Ludovico Ariosto, 35-44121 Ferrara, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Ludovico Ariosto 35, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyDepartment of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Via Ludovico Ariosto, 35-44121 Ferrara, ItalyENEA-Department of Fusion and Technology for Nuclear Safety and Security, Via E. Fermi 45, Frascati, I-00044 Roma, ItalyBackground: the gamma-emitting radionuclide Technetium-99m (99mTc) is still the workhorse of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) as it is used worldwide for the diagnosis of a variety of phatological conditions. 99mTc is obtained from 99Mo/99mTc generators as pertechnetate ion, which is the ubiquitous starting material for the preparation of 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals. 99Mo in such generators is currently produced in nuclear fission reactors as a by-product of 235U fission. Here we investigated an alternative route for the production of 99Mo by irradiating a natural metallic molybdenum powder using a 14-MeV accelerator-driven neutron source. Methods: after irradiation, an efficient isolation and purification of the final 99mTc-pertechnetate was carried out by means of solvent extraction. Monte Carlo simulations allowed reliable predictions of 99Mo production rates for a newly designed 14-MeV neutron source (New Sorgentina Fusion Source). Results: in traceable metrological conditions, a level of radionuclidic purity consistent with accepted pharmaceutical quality standards, was achieved. Conclusions: we showed that this source, featuring a nominal neutron emission rate of about 1015 s−1, may potentially supply an appreciable fraction of the current 99Mo global demand. This study highlights that a robust and viable solution, alternative to nuclear fission reactors, can be accomplished to secure the long-term supply of 99Mo.http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/8/1872Technetium-99mMolibdenum-99neutron generator |
| spellingShingle | Marco Capogni Antonino Pietropaolo Lina Quintieri Maurizio Angelone Alessandra Boschi Mauro Capone Nadia Cherubini Pierino De Felice Alessandro Dodaro Adriano Duatti Aldo Fazio Stefano Loreti Petra Martini Guglielmo Pagano Micol Pasquali Mario Pillon Licia Uccelli Aldo Pizzuto 14 MeV Neutrons for 99Mo/99mTc Production: Experiments, Simulations and Perspectives Molecules Technetium-99m Molibdenum-99 neutron generator |
| title | 14 MeV Neutrons for 99Mo/99mTc Production: Experiments, Simulations and Perspectives |
| title_full | 14 MeV Neutrons for 99Mo/99mTc Production: Experiments, Simulations and Perspectives |
| title_fullStr | 14 MeV Neutrons for 99Mo/99mTc Production: Experiments, Simulations and Perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | 14 MeV Neutrons for 99Mo/99mTc Production: Experiments, Simulations and Perspectives |
| title_short | 14 MeV Neutrons for 99Mo/99mTc Production: Experiments, Simulations and Perspectives |
| title_sort | 14 mev neutrons for 99mo 99mtc production experiments simulations and perspectives |
| topic | Technetium-99m Molibdenum-99 neutron generator |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/8/1872 |
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