Radionuclide production at the University of Missouri research reactor

Reactor-produced radionuclides have wide applications in biological and biochemical research and in nuclear medicine diagnosis and therapy of disease. The University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) has long played a prominent role in these applications, beginning with isotope {open_quotes}seed{close_quotes} implants and (n, {gamma}) {sup 99}Mo for {sup 99m}Tc generators >25 yr ago. In the last 20 yr MURR`s radioisotope production has focused on research and development of therapeutic beta emitters such as {sup 90}Y microspheres; {sup 188}W {sup 188}Re and {sup 166} Dy/ {sup 166}Ho generators; and high-specific-activity {sup 153}Sm, {sup 186}Re, {sup 166}Ho, {sup 177}Lu, and {sup 105}Rh. Production of {sup 192}Ir and {sup 198}Au for therapeutic seeds has continued, while MURR irradiations to produce {sup 35}S, {sup 32}P, and (most recently) {sup 33}P continue to supply a significant fraction of the world`s market.