NUKLEONIKA 2006, 51(2):111-117
Amir R. Jalilian1, Pejman Rowshanfarzad1, Mahsheed Sabet2, Mohsen Kamalidehghan1
1 Cyclotron and Nuclear Medicine Department, Nuclear Research Center for Agriculture
and Medicine (NRCAM), Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Moazzen Blvd., Rajaee shahr, Karaj, Iran,
P. O. Box 31485-498
2 SSDL and Health Physics Department, Nuclear Research Center for Agriculture
and Medicine (NRCAM), Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Moazzen Blvd., Rajaee shahr, Karaj, Iran,
P. O. Box 31485-498
Copper-61 (T1/2 = 3.33 h) produced via the 64Zn(p,a)61Cu
nuclear reaction, using a natural zinc target, was separated from the irradiated target material
by two ion exchange chromatography steps and was used for the preparation of [61Cu]-diethylenetriaminepentacetate
([61Cu]DTPA) using freshly-prepared DTPA cyclic dianhydride. An electroplated natural
zinc layer on a gold-coated copper backing was irradiated with 22 MeV protons (22-12 MeV on the target,
180 mA irradiation, 3.2 h, final activity 220 GBq of 61Cu2+,
RCY > 95%, radionuclidic purity > 99%, 60Cu as the only radionuclidic impurity;
T1/2 = 23.7 min). Colorimetric methods showed that traces of chemical impurities
in the product were below the accepted limits. The solution of [61Cu]DTPA was prepared
with a radiochemical yield of more than 80% starting with 61CuOAc ligand at room temperature
after 30 min. RTLC showed the radiochemical purity of more than 99%. The specific activity obtained
was about 9.1 TBq/mmol. The tracer was shown to be stable in the final product and in the presence
of human serum at 37°C up to 3 h.