Zugl.: Hamburg, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2009

Techn. University, Diss., 1998--Braunschweig.

Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2005--München.

Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2003--Berlin.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2005--Jena.

Zugl.: Berlin, Humboldt-Univ., Diss., 2009

Introduction 68Ge (t½ = 270.8 d, 100% EC) is an important radionuclide for two reasons: 1) once in equilib-rium with its daughter nuclide 68Ga (t½ = 68 min, 89 % β+, 3 % 1077 keV γ), it can be used as a positron source for attenuation correction and calibration of PET/MRI scanners; and 2) it can be employed as a generator of 68Ga for radiophar-maceutical preparation. Most isotope production facilities produce it using natural gallium (60.1% 69Ga, 39.9% 71Ga, melting point: 39 °C) as target material for proton bombardment at energies > 11.5 MeV, the threshold energy for 69Ga(p,2n)68Ge [1]. A maximum cross section of ~330 mb for natGa(p,x)68Ge occurs at ~20 MeV [1], hence proton energies in this neighborhood are mandatory for large scale production. Galli-um targetry is challenging due to its low melting point and corrosivity, hence compounds such as Ga2O3 (melting point: 1900 °C) or GaxNiy alloys (melting points > 800 °C) [2], have been used as target compounds [3,4,5]. The separation chem-istry technique employed by large-scale produc-tion facilities is liquid-liquid extraction using CCl4 [6,7]. In this work, two simple methods for GaxNiy alloy preparation are presented as well as a simple germanium separation procedure using a commercially available extraction resin. Material and Methods GaxNiy alloys were prepared by two methods (A,B). A) electrodeposition over 1.3 cm2 of a gold disk substrate. Ga2O3 and NiSO4.6H2O were dis-solved in a mixture of (27%) H2SO4 and NH4OH at pH 1.5 in a 3:2 mass ratio so that the Ga:Ni molar ratio was 4:1. The solution was then transferred to a 15 mL plating cell, in which a current of 29 mA/cm2 was applied with a platinum anode at 1 cm from the gold surface. B) Ga pellets were fused together with Ni powder at different Ga:Ni molar ratios using an induction furnace (EIA Power Cube 45/900). The resulting alloy pellets were then rolled to foils using a jeweler’s mill pressed between Nb foils to avoid contamination. Target irradiations were performed on a GE PETtrace at 16 MeV protons. The electroplated alloys were mounted on a custom-made solid target irradiation system with direct water-jet cooling applied to the backside of the gold disk. The alloy foils were placed on top of in a 1.2 cm diameter, 406 μm deep pocket made of Nb and sealed against a 51 μm Nb foil using a teflon O-ring. The alloys were in direct contact with the Nb foil to allow thermal conduction. At the rear of the Nb pocket is a water-cooling stream to transfer heat convectively during irradiation. Ge separation was achieved based on the difference in distribution coefficients between Ge, Ga, Zn, Cu, Ni and Co at different HNO3 molarities in DGA resin (Triskem International). Initial tests on the resin were performed after two pilot irradiations on natural gallium (a,b). a) 16 MeV protons were directed downward on an external beam-line (−30 °) onto 640 mg of molten elemental natGa pooled on a water-cooled niobium support. b) 330 mg natGa pellet was melted in the same Nb pocket well used with the alloys and was also sealed against a 51 μm Nb foil. The irradiated gallium was left to decay for 2 weeks and then was dissolved in 6 mL of concentrated HNO3. The solution was then passed through 200 mg of DGA resin packed in a 5 mm diameter column at a flow rate of 1.1 mL/min. A separation profile for Ge, Ga and Zn was obtained by collecting 0.2–1.0 mL fractions, which were analyzed by gamma ray spectroscopy on a HPGe detector. Two thick NiGa4 foils have been irradiated, one for 69Ge production and for radiocobalt, from 58Ni(p,α), separation quantification; and the other one for 68Ge production with the idea of preparing a mini-generator (< 13 MBq) of 68Ga for local use in phantom imaging work and animal studies. Results and Conclusion A) Each electroplating batch consisted of 66.5 ± 2.9 mg of Ga2O3 mixed with 44.9 ± 3.6 mg of NiSO4.6H2O (n = 9) in the 15 mL plating cell. Higher concentrations resulted in inefficient electroplating yields due to precipitation. 66 ± 6 % of the total Ga+Ni mass in solution, that is 39.5 ± 3.3 mg of Ga-Ni was deposited after 3 d. Three plating batches over one disk resulted in a maximum target thickness of 86.7 mg/cm2. A fourth batch did not add any significant amount of alloy and salt precipitation became a problem. The electroplated surface looked homogeneous at 10× magnification on a microscope and the targets were able to withstand up to 30 μA without presenting any dark spots. B) Alloys with Ga:Ni molar ratios of 1.0, 2.0, 2.9, 3.7 and 5.2 were fused by induction heating. TABLE 1 summarizes the results from manipulating these foils. These alloys were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence using a 109Cd excitation source quantifying the x-rays peaks: 9.26 keV for Ga and 7.48 keV for Ni. A linear relationship between the ratio of count rates of these two peaks to the alloy Ga:Ni molar ratio was found and employed for the characterization of the electroplated Ga-Ni layers. Results from the irradiations over natGa on Nb supports are presented in TABLE 2. TABLE 3 presents the results from irradiating two thick NiGa4 foils made by induction heating. Figure 1 contains the separation profile with DGA. 91% of the 68Ge is eluted in 2 mL of de-ionized water. We developed two simple methods for NiGa4 alloy manufacture. With a melting point > 800 °C and 80% presence of natGa, it is a more convenient target for 68Ge production compared to Ga encapsulated in Nb. The separation method based on the extraction resin DGA yields similar results as the liquid-liquid extraction method mentioned in [6,7], but we believe this is a more convenient method since it only requires a single trap-and-release step and not many extraction steps.

Introduction Titanium-45, a candidate PET isotope, is under-employed largely because of the challenging aqueous chemistry of Ti(IV). The propensity for hydrolysis of Ti(IV) compounds makes radio-labeling difficult and excludes 45Ti from use in bio-conjugate chemistry. This is unfortunate because the physical characteristics are extremely desirable: 45Ti has a 3 hour half-life, a positron branching ratio of 85 %, a low Eβmax of 1.04 MeV, and negligible secondary gamma emission. In terms of isotope production, 45Ti is transmuted from naturally mono-isotopic 45Sc by low energy proton irradiation. The high cross-section and production rates on an unenriched metal foil target contribute to make 45Ti an ideal PET radionuclide. In order to bring 45Ti to even a preclinical plat-form, the hydrolytic instability of aqueous Ti(IV) needs to be addressed. Recently, the groups of Edit Tshuva (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Thomas Huhn (University of Konstanz) have synthesized several stable Ti(IV) compounds based upon the salan ligand [1,2]. Additionally, these compounds have shown heightened cyto-toxicity against HT-29 (human colorectal cancer) cells, amongst others, as compared to traditional metal-based chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin. The aim of our work has been to produce the radioactive analogue of one of these Ti(IV)-salan compounds, Ti-salan-dipic [2], which has hydro-lytic stability on the order of weeks. Not only will this allow us to shed some light on the still un-known mechanism of antiproliferative action of titanium-based chemotherapeutics, but it will also make progress toward bioconjugate 45Ti PET tracers. In the current abstract, we present some of the methods we are using to separate 45Ti from irradiated Sc, and subsequent labeling conditions. Material and Methods 45Ti was produced by proton irradiation of 250μm scandium foils at currents ranging from 10-20μA on a GE PETTrace. In order to increase production rate in the thin foil, an 800μm aluminum degrader was used to take the proton energy down from the nominal 16 MeV. The scandium was cooled by contact to a water-cooled silver plate. The activated foil was dissolved in 4M HCl, dried under argon at 120 oC, and taken back up in 12M HCl. Here, four (i-iv below) different approaches to removing the Ti from the Sc and labeling were taken with varying success. Briefly: i. 45Ti was separated on hydroxamate resin, as presented by K. Gagnon [3], only at 12M acid concentration followed by on-column radiolabeling. ii. 45Ti was extracted into 1-octanol [4], stripped with 12M HCl, and used directly for labeling from the organic phase. iii. 45Ti was trapped on a C-18 cartridge that had been pre-loaded with 1-octanol, similar to ion-pairing, and eluted with isopropanol. iv. 45Ti was extracted onto a polystyrene based 1,3 diol resin (RAPP polymers) and labeling commenced on the column. Radiolabeling was slightly different in each condition, but in general the salan and dipic ligands were added to the 45Ti in pyridine and reacted at elevated temperature (60–100 oC) for several (10–30) minutes. Reaction progression and radiochemical purity were assessed with silica TLC in chloroform : ethyl acetate (1 : 1). Results and Conclusion The trap, release, and yields for the four methods listed above are shown in TABLE 1. The best result was with the 1,3 diol resin which had the added advantage of reacting on-column. Further optimization is underway including a test of a solid supported 1,2 diol, and preclinical imaging with HT-29 xenografts. We conclude that hydrolytically stable 45Ti com-pounds can be synthesized in high yield, and hope that this advances the radiochemistry and use of 45Ti toward more widespread applications.

Zugl.: Saarbrücken, Univ., Diss., 2009

Zugl.: Berlin, Techn. Univ., Diss., 2009