Cherenkov light production from the α-emitting decay chains of 223Ra, 212Pb, and 149Tb for Cherenkov Luminescence Imaging

V Wood; N L Ackerman

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.10.009

Cherenkov light production from the α-emitting decay chains of ²²³Ra, ²¹²Pb, and ¹⁴⁹Tb for Cherenkov Luminescence Imaging

Appl Radiat Isot. 2016 Dec:118:354-360. doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.10.009. Epub 2016 Oct 12.

Authors

V Wood¹, N L Ackerman²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Agnes Scott College, 141 E College Ave, Decatur, GA, 30030 United States.
² Department of Physics and Astronomy, Agnes Scott College, 141 E College Ave, Decatur, GA, 30030 United States. Electronic address: nackerman@agnesscott.edu.

PMID: 27771446
DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2016.10.009

Abstract

Cherenkov Luminescence Imaging (CLI) is a new method to image radioactive therapeutic and diagnostic agents, primarily in preclinical studies. This study used Geant4 and Python to generate the predicted Cherenkov light production as a function of time for a set of isotopic chains of interest for targeted alpha therapy: ²²³Ra, ²¹²Pb, and ¹⁴⁹Tb. All are shown to produce substantial Cherenkov light, though time delays between initial decays and the production of Cherenkov light requires caution in interpreting CLI.

Keywords: Cherenkov imaging; Lead-212; Radium-223; Terbium-149.

MeSH terms

Alpha Particles*
Computer Simulation
Lead Radioisotopes / chemistry*
Light*
Luminescent Measurements / methods*
Models, Chemical*
Radium / chemistry*
Terbium / chemistry*

Substances

Lead Radioisotopes
Terbium
Radium-223
Radium