Cross-section measurement of some deuteron induced reactions on $^{160}$Gd for possible production of the therapeutic radionuclide $^{161}$Tb

TL;DR

This study investigates the potential of producing the therapeutic radionuclide 161Tb using deuteron-induced reactions on 160Gd with a cyclotron, comparing it to traditional reactor-based methods.

Contribution

It provides the first excitation function data for 160Gd(d,x)161Tb production up to 50 MeV and compares cyclotron production feasibility with reactor methods.

Findings

Excitation functions for 160Gd(d,x)161Tb and 160Gd(d,2n)160Tb were measured.

Cyclotron production of 161Tb is feasible and competitive with reactor methods.

Data supports alternative production routes for medical radionuclides.

Abstract

The radionuclide 161Tb (T1/2=6.89 d) is potentially important for internal radiotherapy. It is generally produced through the 160Gd(n,{\gamma})161Gd - 161Tb route at research reactors. In this work the possibility of its production at a cyclotron was investigated. Determination of the excitation function of the 160Gd(d,x)161Tb production route and that of the disturbing 160Gd(d,2n)160Tb side reaction was done over the deuteron energy range up to 50 MeV using the stacked-foil technique and high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. A comparison of this production route with the established (n,\gamma) reaction at a nuclear reactor is made.