Monte Carlo simulation and experimental studies of the production of neutron-rich medical isotopes using a particle accelerator.

The developments of nuclear medicine lead to an increasing demand for the production of radioisotopes with suitable nuclear and chemical properties. Furthermore, from the literature it is evident that the production of radioisotopes using charged-particle accelerators instead of nuclear reactors is gaining increasing popularity. The main advantages of producing medical isotopes with accelerators are carrier free radionuclides of short lived isotopes, improved handling, reduction of the radioactive waste, and lower cost of isotope fabrication. Proton-rich isotopes are the result of nuclear interactions between enriched stable isotopes and energetic protons. An interesting observation is that during the production of proton-rich isotopes, fast and intermediately fast neutrons from nuclear reactions such as (p,xn) are also produced as a by-product in the nuclear reactions. This observation suggests that it is perhaps possible to use these neutrons to activate secondary targets for the production of neutron-rich isotopes. The study of secondary radioisotope production with fast neutrons from (p,xn) reactions using a particle accelerator is the main goal of the research in this thesis.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2002

Author dc:creator

• Rosencranz, Daniela Necsoiu

Contributors dc:contributor

• McDaniel, Floyd D.
• Duggan, Jerome L.
• Morgan, I. Lon
• Matteson, Samuel E.
• Weathers, Duncan L.

• Radioisotopes.
• Nuclear medicine.
• Particle accelerators.
• medical isotopes
• Monte Carlo simulations
• neutron-rich medical isotopes
• experimental study
• particle accelerator

Statement dc:rights

• Use restricted to UNT Community
• Copyright
• Rosencranz, Daniela Necsoiu
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 54806144
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3077/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc3077

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc3077