Targetry for the in-beam activation of tracer particles for positron emission particle tracking

• Published in: EPJ Web of conferences 2023, Vol.285, p.9004
• Main Authors: Leadbeater, Thomas, van Heerden, Michael, Buffler, Andy, Camroodien, Ameerah, Steyn, Gideon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alpha rays; Batch production; Cyclotrons; Diameters; Emitters; Particle beams; Particle tracking; Positron emission; Radiochemistry; Radioisotopes; Tracer particles; Trajectory measurement; Water circulation
• ISSN: 2100-014X; 2101-6275; 2100-014X
• DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/202328509004

Positron emission particle tracking measures the trajectory of a single radioactively labelled tracer particle by coincident detection of emitted annihilation photons. The technique enables the non-invasive study of dense opaque flows, with the tracer acting as a small neutrally buoyant flow-follower. The University of Cape Town has established a PEPT facility at iThemba LABS, utilising tracer particles produced through radiochemical methods, and measured using adapted positron tomographs. An activation approach producing the positron emitter 18 F inside glass target spheres of diameter between 5.0 and 10 mm using accelerated beams of alpha-particles has been explored. The reaction 16 O(O, x) 18 F is used, exploiting the high concentration of natural oxygen and the correspondingly high cross-sections for 18 F formation. A standard target holder for the batch production of radionuclides at iThemba LABS was modified, reducing the entrance window thickness, allowing ingress of circulating cooling water, and adapted for a primary tparticle beam of 100 MeV energy delivered by the separated sector cyclotron (SSC) of iThemba LABS. Two-hour bombardment at nominal beam current 0.8 eµA produced activities up to ~ 110 MBq (3 mCi), with over 95% of the activity being 18 F.