Continued Availability of the Tungsten-188/Rhenium-188 Generator to Enhance Therapeutic Utility of 188Re

Abstract

Rhenium-188 (188 Re) is a high energy beta-emitting radioisotope of widespread interest for use in nuclear medicine, oncology and other therapeutic applications. High energy beta emission (16.9 hour half-life) with Emax 2.12 MeV and gamma emission at 155 keV (15 %) are key factors for effective therapy and imaging for tissue kinetics and dosimetry evaluation. Moreover, on-demand availability of 188 Re in a highly reproducible manner from the 188 W/ 188 Re generator system is an important capability for installation in a hospital-based or a central radiopharmacy for cost effective availability of no-carrier-added (NCA) 188 Re. Because of the long 69.7 day half-life of the 188 W generator parent, the use of well-established post 188 Re elution specific volume concentration technology allow generators to have a useful/predictable operational shelf-life of a few months. This paper provides a holistic review of the development, availability and use of the 188 W/ 188 Re generator prototypes.

Transarterial Radioembolization (TARE) Agents beyond 90Y-Microspheres

“…Rhenium-188 (E β max = 2.12 MeV; E γ = 155 keV (15%); t 1/2 = 16.9 h, max tissue penetration = 11 mm), available through a 188 W/ 188 Re generator, offers cost-effective convenient on-site availability, short half-life, energetic β -particle, and emission of γ -photons suitable for imaging [83, 84]. It is thus a promising isotope for radionuclide therapy, especially treatment of liver malignancies.…”

Rhenium-188 Labeled Radiopharmaceuticals: Current Clinical Applications in Oncology and Promising Perspectives

“…The attractive performance properties of the alumina-based 188 W/ 188 Re generator system have been widely described (27–32). However, factors which will affect the hopeful broader use of 188 Re in routine clinical practice include the costs and required routine reactor production of sufficient activity levels of 188 W. These are key issues which have challenged the broader use and routine clinical introduction of 188 Re-labeled radiopharmaceuticals.…”

Radiometals for imaging and theranostics, current production, and future perspectives

“…The use of enriched 187 Re allows for the production of 188 Re with sufficient specific activity in many reactors, although this route has not been widely pursued for 188 Re availability . The 188 Re obtained from the 188 W/ 188 Re generator is of high specific activity (near theoretical) and, potentially, high radionuclidic purity.…”

“…The relatively low production cross sections and the limited number of suitable reactors make the production of 188 W expensive. As the cost of parent radionuclide is the major part of the final 188 W/ 188 Re generator price, currently, there are few generator systems available on the market, be it sterile Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) grade or nonsterile …”

“…Re with sufficient specific activity in many reactors, although this route has not been widely pursued for 188 Re availability. 74 The 188 Re obtained from the 188 W/ 188 Re generator is of high specific activity (near theoretical) and, potentially, high radionuclidic purity. Any breakthrough of the parent radionuclide 188 W can be minimized by using an efficient separation technique.…”