Speaker
Description
Four of the terbium radioisotopes have great potential as theranostic radionuclides ($^{149}$Tb, $^{152}$Tb, $^{155}$Tb, and $^{161}$Tb). This work mainly focuses on $^{155}$Tb (I$_{ec}$ = 100%, T$_{1/2}$ = 5.32 d). It emits gamma rays with energies suitable for SPECT studies (86 keV, 105 keV) and the absence of β$^+$/ β$^-$ emissions reduces the radiotoxicity of this radionuclide. The effectiveness of $^{155}$Tb for the diagnostic in nuclear medicine has been preclinically proved.
In the framework of the INFN REMIX project, our research involves the measurement of $^{nat}$Eu($\alpha$,x)$^{155}$Tb nuclear reaction cross-section, alongside with the ones of contaminants prevalent in the process. Moreover, we showcase the viability of indirect production through the generator method - $^{155}$Dy/$^{155}$Tb. This entails the proton-induced nuclear reactions on terbium targets to produce $^{155}$Dy, with the cross-section of the reaction $^{159}$Tb(p,5n)$^{155}$Dy experimentally measured.
This presentation provides the results of the measurement of nuclear cross sections, offering a comprehensive comparison of the two production techniques with a keen focus on radionuclidic purity (RNP) and specific activity (A$_S$).
Our findings not only advance the knowledge about the production pathways of $^{155}$Tb for theranostic applications but also contribute to the understanding of nuclear processes by enriching the nuclear libraries.