Physical optimization of production by deuteron irradiation of high specific activity 177gLu suitable for radioimmunotherapy

Deuteron-induced nuclear reactions for generation of no-carrier-added (NCA) Lu isotopes were investigated using the stacked-foil activation technique on natural Yb targets at energies up to Ed = 18.18 MeV. The decay curve of 177Yb, the growth curve of the cumulative (direct and indirect) and the direct production of 177gLu were determined. The analysis of these curves conducts to the evidence that the predominant route for the production of 177gLu is the indirect reaction 176Yb(d,p)177Yb, which decays to 177gLu. In the spectra acquired one year from the EOB the γ lines of 177mLu are not evident. A comparison between the calculated activity of 177gLu produced with a cyclotron and with a nuclear reactor is given.