Simulation of the direct production of 99mTc at a small cyclotron

Abstract

Usually 99mTc is produced indirectly through generator 99Mo/99mTc. In the present study, the direct production of this radioisotope by charged particle irradiation was investigated using Monte Carlo method. After scouting of the reactions that produce 99mTc, excitation functions of these reactions were predicted by optical model components in the TALYS-1.6 code. Suitable energy range of projectile for this production was selected by spotting of maximum cross section and minimum impurity due to other emission channels. Then target geometry was designed based on stopping power calculation by the SRIM code. Thick target yield of 100Mo(p,2n)99mTc, 98Mo(p,γ)99mTc and natMo(p,x)99mTc reactions was predicted by the result of excitation function and stopping power calculations. Finally, 100Mo(p,2n)99mTc reaction was selected as a primary reaction for the direct production of 99mTc and its process was simulated by employing the MCNPX code to calculate the energy distribution of proton in the 100Mo target body and estimation of residual nuclei during irradiation. Good agreement was obtained between the experimental, the theoretical, and the simulation-based (analytical and directly) production yields. This study demonstrated that Monte Carlo provides a method for the design and optimization of targets for the radionuclide production purposes.