Production of Radioisotopes for Imaging and Therapy at Low Energy

The production of radioisotopes for use in biomedical procedures such as diagnostic imaging and/or therapeutic treatments is achieved through nuclear reactions in reactors or from charged particle bombardment in accelerators. In reactors the nuclear reactions are initiated with neutrons while in accelerators the typical charged particle reactions utilize protons although deuterons and α−particles play a role. While the generation of the Mo/Tc generator is performed in reactors and the procedures making use of this generator account for nearly 90% of all Nuclear Medicine procedures, this paper will focus on the use of low energy (<50 MeV protons) accelerators for the production of radioisotopes.