Cyclotron Production of ^99mTc - Collaborative Project in Poland

Technetium-99m is the most often used radionuclide in nuclear medicine. Current global crisis of ⁹⁹Mo supply, aging nuclear reactors and staggering costs force the search for alternative sources of ^99mTc. The goal of the project is the development of ^99mTc production method using the reaction of proton with ¹⁰⁰Mo in a cyclotron. Experimental program covered: determination of parameters for reaction ¹⁰⁰Mo(p,xn)^99mTc in relation to beam energy and time of reaction, construction of robust ¹⁰⁰Mo target allowing high yield of ^99mTc, rapid, simple and efficient methods for target dissolution and isolation of ^99mTc from Mo targets, assessment of quality of ^99mTc and its suitability for medical use, development of methods of the ¹⁰⁰Mo recovery and assessment of the effects of isotopic composition of ¹⁰⁰Mo on the quality of ^99mTc. The planned outcome of the project is the development of a method for ^99mTc production in Polish present and possibly future cyclotrons which could overcome the shortages of ⁹⁹Mo. This project was supported by the grant ALTECH PBS1/A9/2/2012 awarded by the National Centre for Research and Development in Poland. (author)