RRFM 2009 Transactions - European Nuclear Society

177 Lu-octreotate, used for therapy of neuroendocrine tumors, and prepared with imported
177 Lu [3].
188 W is the parent radioisotope of 188 Re, a β - emitter with a half-life of 16.7 hours and is
produced by the reaction 186 W(2n,γ) 188 W. Activation studies complied of the irradiation of W
targets (metallic W and WO 3 ) placed inside an aluminium holder and irradiated for a definite
length of time (2 hours up to 64 hours) with low neutron fluxes (1x10 13 n.cm -2 .s -1 ) and inside a
Be irradiator located at the reactor core with the highest possible flux (4x10 13 n.cm -2 .s -1 ). After
the irradiation, qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed in the targets by γ-
spectroscopy, and 188 Re generators were prepared with the 188 W produced [4,5].
2.5
99 Mo- 99m Tc Gel Generator
99m Tc is the most used radioisotope for diagnosis exams performed in Nuclear Medicine
worldwide due to its favorable physical decay properties and its distribution in the generator
form of 99 Mo- 99m Tc [6,7]. In 1996 IPEN started a project aiming the nationalization of the
production of 99 Mo through the 98 Mo(n,γ) 99 Mo reaction and developing the MoZr gel generator
technology [8,9].
Two different targets were tested: metallic Mo and MoO 3 in the form of powder or molten. The
targets were irradiated irradiated for a definite length of time with low neutron fluxes and
inside a Be irradiator located at the reactor core with the highest possible flux. After the
irradiations, the activity of 99 Mo was determined in a dose calibrator and by γ-ray
spectroscopy employing a hiperpure Ge detector from Canberra. 99 Mo was further employed
for the studies aiming the preparation of a MoZr gel type generator.
2.6 Tracer studies
Several tracers were produced in order to help the development of radiopharmaceutical
production methods, such as 122 Sb, 124 Sb, 88 Y and 85 Sr.
Two Sb tracers,
122 Sb and
124 Sb, were prepared to follow the biodistribution of a
pharmaceutical used in the therapy of Leishmanioses, glucantime, and its liposomal
formulations, also to evaluate the amount of Sb incorporated inside the liposomes. The
tracers are produced through the reactions 121 Sb(n,γ) 122 Sb and 123 Sb(n,γ) 124 Sb. Samples of
glucantime and liposomes in clean polypropylene tubes were placed together with antimony
standards inside the aluminium container. Irradiations were carried out at a thermal neutron
flux of 0,8x10 12 n.cm -2 .s -1 for 15 minutes [10].
An important research aiming the nationalization of the production of 90 Y is being carried out
using radioactive tracers produced in the reactor. 90 Y is a radioisotope for use in therapy,
nowadays imported by IPEN at a very high cost and it is produced by a generator system,
90 Sr- 90 Y. The gamma emitting tracers 88 Y and 85 Sr are produced through the reactions
89 Y(n,γ) 88 Y and 84 Sr(n,γ) 85 Sr, respectively, and are employed to optimize the techniques
studied for the development of the generator [11].
The experimental work was developed at the laboratories of the Radiopharmacy Center at
IPEN-CNEN/SP.
3. Results
3.1 Routine production
The local production of 153 Sm meets the total demand for the radiopharmaceuticals
distributed at IPEN. About 74 GBq (2 Ci) of 153 Sm can be produced in one irradiation and the
total activity delivered every week is about 37 GBq (1 Ci).
131 I has a big market in Brazil, and every week more than 1480 GBq (40 Ci) of 131 I
radiopharmaceuticals are distributed by IPEN. Nowadays, with the Reactor operating at 3.5
MW, half of this demand is achieved by the local production (740 GBq – 20 Ci).
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