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 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.