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Radiopotassium-38 for In Vivo Studies of Dynamic Processes

Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus, Ohio

Correspondence: For reprints contact : William G. Myers, Dept. of Radiology, Ohio State University Hospital, 410 W. 10th Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43210.

ABSTRACT

Rapid uptake of ⁴²K by the myocardium indicates that 7.7-mm ³⁸K may be advantageous over 22.4-hr ⁴³K for in vivo imaging. The two 511-keV "annihilation" photons, which are emitted at 180 deg to each other incidental to the decay of ³⁸K by positron emission, furnish inherent directionality and high sensitivity when they interact with appropriate detectors. The 2.17-MeV gamma ray emitted in each disintegration usually is disadvantageous.

The 11-min average life of ³⁸K ideally matches the duration of processes involving rapid turnover of potassium. And it provides greatly reduced radiation exposures, improved statistics, and frequent repeatability in obtaining multiple views and in studies of pathological, physiological, and pharmacological variations.

Bombardment of calcium carbide with deuterons from a small biomedical cyclotron, followed by simple and rapid chemical manipulations, furnishes ³⁸K in high specific activity in the ₂₀⁴⁰Ca(₁²H, ₂⁴He) ₁₉³⁸K nuclear reaction.