Target design for low-energy production of positron emitters

As positron emission tomography (PET) grows in popularity and utility for diagnosing and monitoring the courses of disease and/or therapy, the need for simplified, accessible, and dependable sources of positron-emitting isotopes increases accordingly. To service this need, a low-cost, reliable, low-energy accelerator is desirable to produce the common isotopes of /sup 15/O (2-min half-life), /sup 13/N (10-min half-life), /sup 11/C (20-min half-life), and /sup 18/F (110-min half-life). Small targets easily maintained, with high-production efficiencies make possible the use of low-energy cyclotrons with minimal shielding requirements. These developments will make positron emission tomography a more widely used and accessible technology in the field of nuclear medicine.