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UrduRadiation therapy techniques have been used for more than a century to treat cancers. Physicists in the Radiation Detector and Imaging group and associated with the Biomedical Research & Innovation Center (BRIC) at Jefferson Lab are launching a study into how best to advance safer types of radiation therapy. BRIC scientists plan to evaluate the ability of accelerator-based proton therapy to replace radioactive isotope-derived treatments.
Tag: radioisotope therapy
Capturing the Chemistry of Radium-223 for Cancer Treatment
Researchers seeking to improve the use of radium-223 to target cancer cells investigated how the isotope interacts with two chelators, macropa and DOTA. Experiments and computer-driven models discovered that macropa is the strongest chelator for binding radium identified so far.
Researchers Improve Production for Short-Lived Scandium Radioisotopes
Scandium radioisotopes are potentially useful for cancer therapy and medical imaging such as positron emission tomography (PET) scans, but the difficulty of producing sufficient amounts and purities of these isotopes limits their use. New research describes ways to make and irradiate accelerator targets for scandium to increase production and purity. The process recycles the calcium target material with more than 95% efficiency.
Scientists Identify an Alternative System for Producing the Medical Isotope Scandium-44
Scandium-44 is a promising medical isotope for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for identifying cancer, heart disease, and other conditions. Scandium-44 can be produced through the radioactive decay of titanium-44, but the challenge is to reliably separate scandium-44 from titanium-44 at hospitals. A new approach produces an isotope generator that is portable, uses facilities routinely available at hospitals, and works efficiently and reliably. This will enable medical staff to more easily use scandium-44 for PET scans and other applications.
Enclosing Radiation-Loaded Particles to Better Seek and Destroy Cancer
When medical isotopes are used to treat diseases, they emit large amounts of energy that makes it hard to keep them near the target cells. Researchers are now testing a way to enclose isotopes in tiny pieces of biodegradable material that will keep the isotopes at treatment sites, ensuring that their energy can kill diseased cells with little effect on surrounding cells.
New Imaging Isotope Meets Promising Therapy Isotopes
Researchers have demonstrated the production, purification, and potential application of cerium-134. The isotope decays into lanthanum-134, which is useful for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The results mean that cerium-134 could support medical treatments based on actinium-225 or thorium-227.
New Elegant Method for Rapid Recovery of Anti-Cancer Agent At-211
One isotope of the extremely rare element Astatine has shown promise in the treatment of malignant brain tumors, ovarian cancer, advanced blood and lymph system cancers. However, because of its short half-life, scientists need a rapid system with high yield to recover the isotope, At-211, for medical use. Scientists have developed a new purification system that results in a high purity, high yield recovery of At-211.