90Y Production and Its Biodistribution in Mice

Yttrium - 90 is radioisotope emitting pure β with maximum energy of 2.27 MeV while its average β energy is 0.93 MeV. 90Y radioisotope was produced utilizing G.A Siwabessy reactor employing thermal neutron capture process. In nuclear medicine this radioisotope is utilized for bone mettastase palliative and curative therapies. Parameters in this research were the weight of natural Y2O3 target, irradiation time in the reactor, radiochemical purity and specific activity. The end product of the process is YCl3, in saline solution. Then sterility of the 90Y radioisotope so produced is tested and its biodistribution analysis results in mice organs show that the percentage of this radioisotope in the liver is much higher than the ones in heart, kidneys, lung and intestine. Therefore it is concluded that 90Y radioisotope in the form of YCl3 can be utilized as a radiopharmaceutical in nuclear medicine. (author)