Production of 43sc radionuclide and its use in positron emission tomography

Abstract

The radionuclide 43Sc is produced at commercially significant yields and at specific activities and radionuclidic purities which are suitable for use in radiodiagnostic agents including imaging agents. In a method, a solid target having an isotopically enriched target layer prepared on an inert substrate is positioned in a specially configured target holder and irradiated with a charged-particle beam of protons or deuterons. The beam is generated using an accelerator such as a biomedical cyclotron at energies ranging from 3 to about 22. MeV. The method includes the use of three different nuclear reactions: a) irradiation of enriched 43Ca targets with protons to generate the radionuclide 43Scin the nuclear reaction 43Ca (p,n)43Sc, b) irradiation of enriched 42Ca targets with deuterons to generate the radionuclide 43Sc in the nuclear reaction 42Ca(d,n)43Sc, and c) irradiation of enriched 46Ti targets with protons to generate the radionuclide 43Sc in the nuclear reaction 46Ti (p,a) 43Sc.

1 . A radiopharmaceutical to be applied in positron emission tomography, comprising:
 a radiometal-based radiopharmaceutical agent containing a bifunctional chelator namely a DOTA ligand (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid) conjugated to a targeting vector and 43Sc being bound to a chelating agent.   
     
     
         2 . The radiopharmaceutical according to  claim 1 , wherein said targeting vector is selected from the group consisting of an antibody, a peptide, nanoparticles, a vitamin and their derivates. 
     
     
         3 . A radiopharmaceutical, comprising:
 a dose for one positron emission tomography having 43Sc to a radio content of 100 to 500 MBq.   
     
     
         4 . The radiopharmaceutical according to  claim 3 , wherein said radio content is about 200 MBq.