Method for producing radioactive isotopes for positron emission tomography

1. A method for producing radioactive isotopes for positron emission tomography, the method comprising:

generating radioactive isotopes for positron emission tomography by the acceleration of a projectile in a linear accelerator that is operative to accelerate at least two different types of projectiles and generate at least two different corresponding types of radioactive isotopes.

2. The method as defined by claim 1 , wherein the projectile comprises protons, deutrons, or both.

3. The method as defined by claim 1 , wherein generating radioactive isotopes comprises generating radioactive isotopes with half-lives of over one hour, equal to one hour, less than one hour, or any combination thereof.

4. The method as defined by claim 1 , wherein generating the radioactive isotopes, comprises: using nuclear reactions that generate alpha particles.

5. The method as defined by claim 4 , wherein generating the radioactive isotopes, comprises: using the nuclear reactions 20 Ne(d,α) 18 F, 14 N(p,α) 11 C, 16 O(p,α) 13 N, or any combination thereof.

6. The method as defined by claim 1 , comprising:

generating the radioactive isotopes with the linear accelerator in a hospital or a clinical or diagnostic system; and

producing radiopharmaceuticals, biomarkers, or radiopharmaceuticals and biomarkers from the generated radioactive isotopes in the hospital or the clinical or diagnostic system.

7. The method as defined by claim 1 , comprising:

changing an amplitude and a phase of the linear accelerator to use a different projectile.

8. The method as defined by claim 2 , comprising: attaining projectile energies at a target of the linear accelerator.

9. The method as defined by claim 8 , wherein the linear accelerator includes a radiofrequency quadrupole and an acceleration resonator operated in the H mode.

10. The method as defined by claim 3 , comprising: generating 18 F, 11 C, 13 N, or any combination thereof.

11. The method as defined by claim 8 , comprising: attaining projectile energies for protons in the amount of about 5 MeV to 15 MeV or for deuterons in the amount of about 10 MeV to 20 MeV.

12. The method as defined by claim 8 , comprising: attaining projectile energies for protons in the amount of about 5 MeV to 15 MeV and for deuterons in the amount of about 10 MeV to 20 MeV.

13. The method as defined by claim 9 , wherein the linear accelerator includes an acceleration resonator operated in the interdigital or the crossbar H mode.

14. The method as defined by claim 13 , wherein beam losses in the RFQ amount to 10% or less and the beam losses in the IH tank or the CH tank amount to 1% or less.

15. The method as defined by claim 13 , wherein beam losses in the RFQ amount to 10% or less or the beam losses in the IH tank or the CH tank amount to 1% or less.