{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/50984"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/50984","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Medical Isotope Production of Actinium 225 By Linear Accelerator Photon Irradiation of Radium 226","abstract":"There is a present and future need for the medical isotope Actinium-225, currently in short supply worldwide. Only a couple manufacturers produce it in very low quantities. In roughly the past 10 years the medical community has explored the use of Ac-225 and its daughter Bismuth-213 for targeting a number of differing cancers by way of Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT). This method utilizes the alpha-decay of both Ac-225 (half-life 10 days) and Bi-213 (half-life 46 min) to kill cancerous cells on a localized basis. Maximum energy is delivered to the cancer cells thereby greatly minimizing healthy tissue damage. This research proposes a production method using a high-energy photon spectrum (generated by a linear accelerator or LINAC) to irradiate a sample of Radium-226 (half-life 1600yrs). The photo-neutron reaction liberates neutrons from Ra-226 atoms leaving behind Radium-225 (half-life 14.7 days). Ra-225 decays naturally through beta emission to Ac-225. Previous research demonstrated it is possible to produce Ac-225 using a LINAC; however, very low yields resulted which questioned the feasibility of this production method. This research proposes a number of LINAC and radium sample modifications that could be greatly increase yield amounts for practical use. Additionally, photo-neutron cross-section data for Ra-226 was used, which led to improved yield calculations for Ra-225. A MATLAB® model was also created, which enables users to perform quick yield estimates given several key model parameter inputs. Obtaining a sufficient supply of radium material is also of critical importance to this research. Therefore information was gathered regarding availability and inventory of Radium-226. This production method would serve as a way to not only eliminate many hazardous radium sources destined for interim storage, but provide a substantial supply of Ac-225 for future cancer treatment.","abstract_html":"There is a present and future need for the medical isotope Actinium-225, currently in short supply worldwide. Only a couple manufacturers produce it in very low quantities. In roughly the past 10 years the medical community has explored the use of Ac-225 and its daughter Bismuth-213 for targeting a number of differing cancers by way of Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT). This method utilizes the alpha-decay of both Ac-225 (half-life 10 days) and Bi-213 (half-life 46 min) to kill cancerous cells on a localized basis. Maximum energy is delivered to the cancer cells thereby greatly minimizing healthy tissue damage. This research proposes a production method using a high-energy photon spectrum (generated by a linear accelerator or LINAC) to irradiate a sample of Radium-226 (half-life 1600yrs). The photo-neutron reaction liberates neutrons from Ra-226 atoms leaving behind Radium-225 (half-life 14.7 days). Ra-225 decays naturally through beta emission to Ac-225. Previous research demonstrated it is possible to produce Ac-225 using a LINAC; however, very low yields resulted which questioned the feasibility of this production method. This research proposes a number of LINAC and radium sample modifications that could be greatly increase yield amounts for practical use. Additionally, photo-neutron cross-section data for Ra-226 was used, which led to improved yield calculations for Ra-225. A MATLAB® model was also created, which enables users to perform quick yield estimates given several key model parameter inputs. Obtaining a sufficient supply of radium material is also of critical importance to this research. Therefore information was gathered regarding availability and inventory of Radium-226. This production method would serve as a way to not only eliminate many hazardous radium sources destined for interim storage, but provide a substantial supply of Ac-225 for future cancer treatment.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["VanSant, Paul Daniel"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":"Mechanical Engineering","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Pierson, Mark Alan"],"committee_members":["Haghighat, Alireza","Policke, Timothy A."],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-06-12","date_published":"2013-06-12","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:42Z","subjects":["Radium-226","Actinium-225","Medical Isotopes","Linear Accelerator (LINAC)","Photonuclear Cross-section"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:1093"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:1093","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50984","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Pierson, Mark Alan"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Haghighat, Alireza","Policke, Timothy A."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["VanSant, Paul Daniel"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-12-05T07:00:14Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-12-05T07:00:14Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2013-06-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Radium-226","Actinium-225","Medical Isotopes","Linear Accelerator (LINAC)","Photonuclear Cross-section"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:1093"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50984"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["There is a present and future need for the medical isotope Actinium-225, currently in short supply worldwide. Only a couple manufacturers produce it in very low quantities. In roughly the past 10 years the medical community has explored the use of Ac-225 and its daughter Bismuth-213 for targeting a number of differing cancers by way of Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT). This method utilizes the alpha-decay of both Ac-225 (half-life 10 days) and Bi-213 (half-life 46 min) to kill cancerous cells on a localized basis. Maximum energy is delivered to the cancer cells thereby greatly minimizing healthy tissue damage. This research proposes a production method using a high-energy photon spectrum (generated by a linear accelerator or LINAC) to irradiate a sample of Radium-226 (half-life 1600yrs). The photo-neutron reaction liberates neutrons from Ra-226 atoms leaving behind Radium-225 (half-life 14.7 days). Ra-225 decays naturally through beta emission to Ac-225. Previous research demonstrated it is possible to produce Ac-225 using a LINAC; however, very low yields resulted which questioned the feasibility of this production method. This research proposes a number of LINAC and radium sample modifications that could be greatly increase yield amounts for practical use. Additionally, photo-neutron cross-section data for Ra-226 was used, which led to improved yield calculations for Ra-225. A MATLAB® model was also created, which enables users to perform quick yield estimates given several key model parameter inputs. Obtaining a sufficient supply of radium material is also of critical importance to this research. Therefore information was gathered regarding availability and inventory of Radium-226. This production method would serve as a way to not only eliminate many hazardous radium sources destined for interim storage, but provide a substantial supply of Ac-225 for future cancer treatment."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Medical Isotope Production of Actinium 225 By Linear Accelerator Photon Irradiation of Radium 226"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Pierson, Mark Alan"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Haghighat, Alireza","Policke, Timothy A."],"dc:contributor.department":["Mechanical Engineering"],"dc:creator":["VanSant, Paul Daniel"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-12-05T07:00:14Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-12-05T07:00:14Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2013-06-12"],"dc:description.abstract":["There is a present and future need for the medical isotope Actinium-225, currently in short supply worldwide. Only a couple manufacturers produce it in very low quantities. In roughly the past 10 years the medical community has explored the use of Ac-225 and its daughter Bismuth-213 for targeting a number of differing cancers by way of Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT). This method utilizes the alpha-decay of both Ac-225 (half-life 10 days) and Bi-213 (half-life 46 min) to kill cancerous cells on a localized basis. Maximum energy is delivered to the cancer cells thereby greatly minimizing healthy tissue damage. This research proposes a production method using a high-energy photon spectrum (generated by a linear accelerator or LINAC) to irradiate a sample of Radium-226 (half-life 1600yrs). The photo-neutron reaction liberates neutrons from Ra-226 atoms leaving behind Radium-225 (half-life 14.7 days). Ra-225 decays naturally through beta emission to Ac-225. Previous research demonstrated it is possible to produce Ac-225 using a LINAC; however, very low yields resulted which questioned the feasibility of this production method. This research proposes a number of LINAC and radium sample modifications that could be greatly increase yield amounts for practical use. Additionally, photo-neutron cross-section data for Ra-226 was used, which led to improved yield calculations for Ra-225. A MATLAB® model was also created, which enables users to perform quick yield estimates given several key model parameter inputs. Obtaining a sufficient supply of radium material is also of critical importance to this research. Therefore information was gathered regarding availability and inventory of Radium-226. This production method would serve as a way to not only eliminate many hazardous radium sources destined for interim storage, but provide a substantial supply of Ac-225 for future cancer treatment."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:1093"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50984"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Radium-226","Actinium-225","Medical Isotopes","Linear Accelerator (LINAC)","Photonuclear Cross-section"],"dc:title":["Medical Isotope Production of Actinium 225 By Linear Accelerator Photon Irradiation of Radium 226"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:42Z"}