Generation Of Radio Nuclides [⁶⁴Cu, ⁶²Cu, ¹⁸F, ¹¹C] Through The Giant Dipole Mechanism

Yogendra Srivastava¹*, John Swain², Allan Widom², Georges de Montmollin³, Pierre-Alain Tercier⁴, Olivier Pisaturo⁴, Frederic Mieville⁴

¹Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, Perugia, (ITALY)
²Physics Department, Northeastern University, Boston MA, (USA)
³Lenr-Cities Suisse Sárl, Neuchatel, (SWITZERLAND)
⁴Radiation Oncology Department, hôpital fribourgeois, CH-1708, Fribourg, (SWITZERLAND)

PAGE NO: 120-132

ABSTRACT – DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47204/EBR.1.2.2021.120-132

We describe the generation of radio nuclides -needed for imaging and treatment in nuclear medicine- through the giant dipole mechanism and electro-strong interactions. Electron accelerators routinely available in radiation oncology departments when suitably modified can be used for this purpose. The method is applied to the particularly important case of (i) Copper radio nuclides (RI) [⁶²Cu, ⁶⁴Cu] that are of interest both for imaging and cancer treatment, as well as (ii) for the production of the imaging RI ¹⁸F and ¹¹C together. Experimental data that show the feasibility of the scheme are presented here through the production of radio nuclides [⁶²Cu & ⁶⁴Cu] when a sample of pure Copper was irradiated by a beam of 22 MeV electrons accelerator facility in the radiation oncology department of the Swiss Fribourg hospital. Firm evidence of RI production is provided through the measurements of the radiation from the two Copper RI and the two measured life-times are within 2% of their expected values. Also presented -to our knowledge for the first time- are experimental results about the production of the much sought after RI ¹⁸F along with another ¹¹C in one shot, through a non-cyclotron or a nuclear reactor source. Our results confirm the hypothesis that upon suitable modifications, electron accelerators available at medical radiation oncology centers, can indeed be used to produce the required amounts of radio nuclei in situ locally, when needed. It should reduce the cost of production as well as that of transport and at the same time avoid the use of nuclear reactors [or cyclotrons] that (may) suffer from the production of unwanted nuclear waste. For the future, a scaled up RI production through high intensity electron machines can allow us to develop a novel strategy: pinpoint a tumor through an RI with a chelated material accompanying it to fight the tumor -in real time- with less cumbersome biological assays.