title: Feasibility studies towards future self-sufficient supply of the (99)Mo-(99m)Tc isotopes with Japanese accelerators.
abstract: In order to establish a self-sufficient supply of (99m)Tc, we studied feasibilities to produce its parent nucleus, (99)Mo, using Japanese accelerators. The daughter nucleus, (99m)Tc, is indispensable for medical diagnosis. (99)Mo has so far been imported from abroad, which is separated from fission products generated in nuclear reactors using enriched (235)U fuel. We investigated (99m)Tc production possibilities based on the following three scenarios: (1) (99)Mo production by the (n, 2n) reaction by spallation neutrons at the J-PARC injector, LINAC; (2) (99)Mo production by the (p, pn) reaction at Ep = 50-80 MeV proton at the RCNP cyclotron; (3) (99m)Tc direct production with a 20 MeV proton beam from the PET cyclotron. Among these three scenarios, scenario (1) is for a scheme on a global scale, scenario (2) works in a local area, and both cases take a long time for negotiations. Scenario (3) is attractive because we can use nearly 50 PET cyclotrons in Japan for (99m)Tc production. We here consider both the advantages and disadvantages among the three scenarios by taking account of the Japanese accelerator situation.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka University.
authors.forename: Kozi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Naruto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hatazawa
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Hayato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Yasukazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watabe
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Kichiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatanaka
mesh_terms: D017357:Cyclotrons; D003947:Diagnostic Techniques, Radioisotope; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000737:chemistry*; D009688:Nuclear Reactors; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D013667:Technetium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014501:Uranium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D014501:Uranium; D013667:Technetium; D008982:Molybdenum