A novel approach to medical radioisotope production using inverse kinematics

The inverse kinematics methodology using a gas target has been applied to produce medically important radionuclides at the Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M University. The production of the theranostic radionuclide 67 Cu (T1/2 = 62 h) through the reaction of a 70 Zn beam at 15 MeV/nucleon with a hydrogen gas target was performed. The activities at end of irradiation and the thick target yield were obtained for 67 Cu. A test using the forward-focused neutrons from the primary reaction to irradiate nat Zn to produce 67 Cu is also presented.