title: Prediction of 94mTc production for positron emission tomography studies using the Monte Carlo code MCNPX-2.6.
abstract: In this study, a Monte Carlo code was used to simulate a proton beam flux to calculate the (94m)Tc production yield from the (94)Mo(p,n)(94m)Tc reaction. An experimental yield of 3.465 GBq/μAh was measured for 48 min of irradiation at 1μA. An estimated value of 3.048 GBq/μAh was calculated for the yield produced based on the MCNPX proton flux in the same situation. These results demonstrate the usefulness and precision of MCNPX as a tool to design targets for the production of PET radionuclides. The yield of isotopic impurities from the (94)Mo(p,xn)(94g, 93m, 93g)Tc reactions was also calculated by the MCNPX code.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Application Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, P.O. Box: 31485/498, Karaj, Iran. Electronic address: msadeghi@nrcam.org.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.forename: Najmeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Afarideh
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tenreiro
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007554:Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000032:analysis; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011522:Protons; D011876:Radionuclide Generators; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013667:Technetium / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D011522:Protons; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013667:Technetium; D008982:Molybdenum
keywords: MCNPX code; Molybdenum-94; Proton beam simulation; Technetium-94m