Production of n-13 ammonia radionuclide
AssigneeGlobal Medical Isotope Systems LLC
InventorFrancis Y. Tsang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of producing 13N-ammonia for use in medical imaging is provided, which includes irradiating 14N (having a natural abundance of 99.64%) with a collimated bremsstrahlung radiation (gamma-ray beam) obtained by directing high-energy electrons onto a high-Z converter. The 14N to be irradiated may be in the form of liquid ammonia (14NH3) or ammonia gas to directly produce 13N-ammonia (13NH3) or in the form of liquid nitrogen to indirectly produce 13N-ammonia through conversion of the irradiated liquid nitrogen (N2) via known conversion processes to 13N-ammonia. The photons have an energy level above the threshold of the 14N(γ,n)13N reaction (about 10.5 MeV).
Claims17
A method of producing 13N-ammonia via an isotopic conversion reaction comprising:
- providing a target having nitrogen atoms that are substantially 14N, wherein the target is ammonia or nitrogen;
- directing high-energy electrons onto a high-Z converter to produce a collimated gamma-ray beam;
- and
- directing said collimated gamma-ray beam to irradiate said ammonia target or nitrogen target to convert at least a portion of the 14N to 13N isotope, thereby forming an irradiated ammonia or irradiated nitrogen.
A method of producing 13N-ammonia via an isotopic conversion reaction comprising:
- providing a liquid nitrogen target comprising 14N atoms;
- directing high-energy electrons onto a high-Z target to produce a collimated gamma-ray beam;
- directing said collimated gamma-ray beam to irradiate said liquid nitrogen target to isotopically convert the liquid nitrogen target to an irradiated liquid nitrogen having at least a portion of said 14N atoms converted to a 13N isotope;
- and
- converting said resulting irradiated liquid nitrogen to 13N-ammonia (13NH3).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.