HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lacy, J. L. Articles by Roberts, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lacy, J. L. Articles by Roberts, R.

An Improved Tungsten-178/Tantalum-178 Generator System for High Volume Clinical Applications

Jeffrey L. Lacy, Mark E. Ball, Mario S. Verani, Henry B. Wiles^*, John W. Babich, Adrian D. LeBlanc, Michael Stabin, Leonard Bolomey and Robert Roberts

Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, The Methodist Hospital
Johnson Space Center
The Positron Diagnostic and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Radiopharmaceutical Internal Dose Information Center, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Correspondence: For reprints contact: Jeffrey L. Lacy, PhD, Section of Cardiology, 6535 Fannin, F-905, Houston, TX 77030.

ABSTRACT

Clinical utilization of the multiwire gamma camera (MWGC) requires low-energy radionuclides. The short-lived (9.3 min) tantalum-178 (¹⁷⁸Ta) is ideally suited for the MWGC and can be produced from long-lived (21.7 day) tungsten-178 (¹⁷⁸W) by a previously reported ¹⁷⁸W/¹⁷⁸Ta generator. This generator, however, is limited by sharp increase in breakthrough after elution of only 30–60 column-volumes. To optimize the ¹⁷⁸W/¹⁷⁸Ta generator for clinical use, varying eluant acid concentrations were evaluated. A reduced (from 0.1 to 0.03N) HCl concentration in the eluant, coupled with low operating temperatures (3 to 5°C) allowed high (40 to 60%) ¹⁷⁸Ta yield. Minimal ¹⁷⁸W breakthrough (<.01%) resulted, even after elution of more than 200 column-volumes. Each of six tested generators provided sterile, high activity (up to 100 mCi) ¹⁷⁸Ta elutions for more than 30 days. Radiation dosimetry was estimated utilizing both human and animal biodistribution data. The wholebody (critical organ) dose in adults and neonates were 1/20 (1/21) and 1/1 9 (1/50) respectively relative to that of technetium-99m (^99mTc) as sodium pertechnetate. The optimized ¹⁷⁸W/¹⁷⁸Ta generator provides a commercially practical, safe source of low-energy radioisotope for the MWGC with substantial dosimetry advantages over ^99mTc.

FOOTNOTES

^* Present Address: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.

Present Address: Royal Marsden Hospital, London, England.