SBIR Phase I: Noble Metal Isotope Enrichment Using a Distributed Discharge Source

9860868 这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种新的方法，用于生产癌症近距离放射治疗的放射性种子。 现有的方法需要使用昂贵的回旋加速器来制造放射性103 Pd。 因此，生产率有限，价格高昂，目前用于医疗的种子严重短缺。 提出了一种新的、高效的生产同位素富集102 Pd的方法，102 Pd是中子活化103 Pd的前体。 还提出了一种用于制造种子的新方法，该方法可以在不需要处理放射性液体的情况下进行，从而有望显着降低制造和医疗成本。

9860868 This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project will develop a new method for producing radioactive seeds for cancer brachytherapy. The existing method requires the use of an expensive cyclotron to make radioactive 103Pd. The production rate is therefore limited, the prices are high, and there presently exists a severe shortage of seeds for medical treatments. A new, highly efficient method is proposed for producing isotopically enriched 102Pd, the precursor for neutron activation to 103Pd. A novel process is also proposed for fabricating the seed, which can be performed without the need for handling radioactive liquids and thus promises to significantly reduce both manufacturing and medical treatment costs.