Survey on radionuclide producing using cyclotron method in Malaysia

This research discuss about basic design and systems of medical cyclotron that Malaysia currently have, its applications in radionuclide production and upcoming technologies of cyclotron. Surveys have been carried out on cyclotron facilities at Hospital Putrajaya and Wijaya International Medical Center, WIMC as well as reactor facility at Malaysia Nuclear Agency. The sources in this research also involves on-line and library searches. Information obtained are recorded, categorized, synthesized and discussed. systems of cyclotron of Hospital Putrajaya are further discussed in details. Based from the surveys carried out, it is found out that cyclotron facilities both in Hospital Putrajaya and WIMC only produce (18F)FDG with radioactivity of 18F produced in 2007 are 16479 mCi and 92546 mCi respectively. Survey also revealed that radioisotope production at Nuclear Malaysia has had its operation been ceased. A new radiopharmaceutical, namely CHOL is suggested to be synthesized by both facilities as a new PET tracer. Latest developments concerning technologies of cyclotron as well as other accelerators such as laser for future medical accelerator, prospect of boron neutron capture and the potential of hadron therapy in Malaysia are discussed here. Radioisotope production in Malaysia is expected to keep booming in future due to increase in usage of PET techniques and the construction of more compact, easy to handle and less costly cyclotrons. (author)