Cross-section measurements of SC-43 and V-48 radioisotopes produced via Bern medical cyclotron

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Fizik Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2017

Öğrenci: GAMZE SÖKMEN

Danışman: MEHMET TEVFİK ZEYREK

Özet:

Positron Emission Tomography is a diagnostic technique in nuclear medicine to achieve quantitative measurements of biochemical processes in vivo, regarding its ability to detect positron-emitter-labeled radiopharmaceuticals at picomolar levels. An ideal PET radioisotope is required to have significant features decided by its half-life, de- cay kinematic, and cross-section. Thus, the 43Sc radionuclide can be considered as a promising solution with its desirable half-life of 3.89 hours. The present thesis fo- cuses on the production of 43Sc by irradiating enriched-titanium TiO2 with the 18 MeV medical cyclotron of Bern University Hospital and efficient measurements of the cross-section of the corresponding radioisotope. The proton current and energy on the target are optimized to result in expected cross-section values. As a part of this study, the vanadium radioisotope is produced via natTi (p,x) 48V reaction with the solid target station that is recently installed in the Bern medical cyclotron. All steps applied for the 43Sc production is followed to obtain 48V radioisotope with the desired cross-section. Measurement of the cross-section is performed by gamma-ray v spectroscopy, namely an outcome of a high purity germanium detector (HPGe). The result of the cross-section is represented as a function of proton energy and compared with both theoretical expectations and experimental values.