Production of carbon-11 for PET preclinical imaging using a high-repetition rate laser-driven proton source

Autor: Juan Peñas, Aarón Alejo, Adrián Bembibre, Jon Imanol Apiñaniz, Enrique García-García, Carlos Guerrero, José Luis Henares, Irene Hernández-Palmero, Cruz Méndez, María Ángeles Millán-Callado, Pilar Puyuelo-Valdés, Michael Seimetz, José Benlliure
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Scientific Reports, Vol 14, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2045-2322
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61540-2
Popis: Abstract Most advanced medical imaging techniques, such as positron-emission tomography (PET), require tracers that are produced in conventional particle accelerators. This paper focuses on the evaluation of a potential alternative technology based on laser-driven ion acceleration for the production of radioisotopes for PET imaging. We report for the first time the use of a high-repetition rate, ultra-intense laser system for the production of carbon-11 in multi-shot operation. Proton bunches with energies up to 10–14 MeV were systematically accelerated in long series at pulse rates between 0.1 and 1 Hz using a PW-class laser. These protons were used to activate a boron target via the $$^{11}$$ 11 B(p,n) $$^{11}$$ 11 C nuclear reaction. A peak activity of 234 kBq was obtained in multi-shot operation with laser pulses with an energy of 25 J. Significant carbon-11 production was also achieved for lower pulse energies. The experimental carbon-11 activities measured in this work are comparable to the levels required for preclinical PET, which would be feasible by operating at the repetition rate of current state-of-the-art technology (10 Hz). The scalability of next-generation laser-driven accelerators in terms of this parameter for sustained operation over time could increase these overall levels into the clinical PET range.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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