Production of medical radioisotopes via photonuclear reactions: review of candidates and opportunities for the planned radioactive ion facility at IFIN-HH

Abstract

Radioisotopes have a growing impact in various fields of industry and medicine. Especially in modern medicine, based on the synergies of nuclear physics, radiochemistry, and radiobiology, the demand for more readily available, higher quality, and also new radioisotopes is constantly increasing. As key components of radiopharmaceuticals, they are used in many ways for diagnostics imaging, and treatments of cancer or other health issues. Diagnostics based on the precise positioning of imaging photons have improved due to recent advances in molecular biology. Ongoing intense research of biological vehicles (transporters), such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), specific proteins and peptides, or other designed molecules led to new and more precise methods to place specific radioisotopes, exactly there where they are intended. The techniques of targeted therapy were developed, based on the precise delivery of cell-killing radiation directly and specifically to cancer cells, too. Imaging techniques are used not only to diagnose but also to monitor the therapy efficacy and follow-up, using highly selective and specific vectors, allowing for the quantification of essential tumour parameters such as receptor density, proliferation index, or hypoxia. Thus, theranostics, which combines matching radioisotopes of similar elements or, ideally, different emissions of the same radioisotope(s) for treatment and monitoring of the therapeutic response at the same time, became an important tool of clinical practice.