Reusable gels for germanium-68 sources.
Two water-soluble gels, gelatin and Carbowax, were mixed with radioactive 68Ge solutions and evaluated for their use as long-lived (half-life, 280 days) radioactive sources. These gels melt at 40-50 degrees C and solidify at room temperature. The amount of 68Ge mixed with them can be increased or decreased as needed, eliminating waste of 68Ge. These gel sources also may replace short-lived 68Ga (half-life 68 min) as attenuation correction sources in positron emission tomography (PET) and reduce frequency of source preparation, thus reducing exposure of PET operators to radiation.
Tilbury
R S
RS
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
Broussard
W F
WF
Youngerman
M J
MJ
Nguyen
D
D
Kim
E E
EE
D005780:Gelatin; D005782:Gels; D005857:Germanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014885:Waxes
D005782:Gels; D011868:Radioisotopes; D014885:Waxes; D005857:Germanium; D005780:Gelatin