• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10057-10059
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• 2015

Positron emission tomography (PET) as the functional component of current hybrid imaging (like PET/CT or PET/MRI) seems to dominate the horizon of medical imaging in coming decades. $^{18}$Flourodeoxyglucose ($^{18}FDG$) is the most commonly used probe in oncology and also in cardiology and neurology around the globe. However, the major capital cost and exorbitant running expenditure of low to medium energy cyclotrons (about 20 MeV) and radiochemistry units are the seminal reasons of low number of cyclotrons but mushroom growth pattern of PET scanners. This fact and longer half-life of $^{18}F$ (110 minutes) have paved the path of a centralized model in which $^{18}FDG$ is produced by commercial PET radiopharmacies and the finished product (multi-dose vial with tungsten shielding) is dispensed to customers having only PET scanners. This indeed reduced the cost but has limitations of dependence upon timely arrival of daily shipments as delay caused by any reason results in cancellation or rescheduling of the PET procedures. In recent years, industry and academia have taken a step forward by producing low energy, table top cyclotrons with compact and automated radiochemistry units (Lab-on-Chip). This decentralized strategy enables the users to produce on-demand doses of PET probe themselves at reasonably low cost using an automated and user-friendly technology. This technological development would indeed provide a real impetus to the availability of complete set up of PET based molecular imaging at an affordable cost to the developing countries.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2005

This paper is described on the development of KOTRON-13 and recent status of PET cyclotron by commercial cyclotron companies. KIRAMS has developed medical cyclotron which is KIRAMS-13. Samyoung Unitech produces KOTRON-13 with transfered technology by KIRAMS. As a part of Regional Cyclotron Installation Protect, KOTRON-13 cyclotrons and $[18F]FDG$ production modules are being installed at regional cyclotron centers in Korea. The medical concern with radiation technology has been growing for the last several years. Early cancer diagnosis through the cyclotron and PET-CT have been brought to public attention by commercial cyclotron models in the world. The new commercial cyclotron models are introduced compact low energy cyclotrons developed by CTI, GE, Sumitomo in recent. It produces different short-lived radioisotopes, such as $[^{18}F],\;[^{11}C],\;[^{13}N]\;and\;[^{15}O]$. For the better reliability acceleration particle is proton only. The characteristics of new model cyclotrons are changed to lower energy corresponding to less 13 MeV. New models have self-shielding and low power consumption. Design criteria for the different types of commercial cyclotrons are described with reference to hospital demands.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1995

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2016

The recent prevalence of PET examinations in Korea has led to an increase in the number of cyclotrons. The medical isotope $^{18}F$ produced in most cyclotron facilities currently operating in Korea is emitted into the environment during the production of [$^{18}F$]FDG, a cancerdiagnosis reagent. The amount of [$^{18}F$]FDG synthesized determines the radioactive concentration of $^{18}F$ in the exhaust. At some facilities, this amount temporarily exceeds the emission limit. In this study, we evaluated the $^{18}F$ radioactivity concentration in the exhaust from the cyclotron facility at Chosun University. The $^{18}F$ radioactivity concentration was measured using an air sampler and a HPGe semiconductor detector. The measurements showed that the radioactive concentration of $^{18}F$ in the exhaust at the cyclotron facility at Chosun University was the highest during [$^{18}F$]FDG synthesis but remained under the legal limit of $2,000Bq\;m^{-3}$.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.77-86
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• 2008

This study attempted to provide reference materials for improving the behavior level in radiation safety managements by drawing a prediction model that affects the radiation safety management behavior because the radiation safety management of medical Cyclotrons, which can be used to produce radioisotopes, is an important factor that protects radiation caused diseases not only for radiological operators but average users. In addition, this study obtained follows results through the investigation applied from January 2 to January 30, 2008 for the radiation safety managers employed in 24 authorized organizations, which have already installed Cyclotrons, through applying a specific form of questionnaire in which the validity was guaranteed by reference study, site investigation, and focus discussion by related experts. The radiation safety management were configured as seven steps: Step 1 is a production preparation step, Step 2 is an RI production step, Step 3 is a synthesis step, Step 4 is a distribution step, Step 5 is a quality control step, Step 6 is a carriage container packing step, and Step 7 is a transportation step. it was recognized that the distribution step was the most exposed as 15 subjects (62.5%), the items of 'the sanction and permission related works' and 'the guarantee of installation facilities and production equipments' were the most difficult as 9 subjects (37.5%), and In the trouble steps in such exposure, the item of 'the synthesis and distribution' steps were 4 times, respectively (30.8%). In the score of the behavior level in radiation safety managements, the minimum and maximum scores were 2.42 and 4.00, respectively, and the average score was $3.46{\pm}0.47$ out of 4. Prosperity and well-being programs in the behavior and job in radiation safety managements (r=0.529) represented a significant correlation statistically. In the drawing of a prediction model based on the factors that affected the behavior in radiation safety managements, general characteristics, organization characteristics, and selfefficacy didn't show a significant path statistically in which the prosperity and well-being programs in job characteristics affected the behavior in radiation safety managements. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a strategy that improves the level of prosperity and well-being levels in job characteristics in order to increase the behavior in radiation safety managements. Thus, this study provides basic materials for the radiation safety management of Cyclotron through the full-scale investigation that is first applied in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.250.1-250.1
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• 2014

A multicusp ion source has been used widely in negative hydrogen cyclotrons mainly for radioisotope productions. The ion source is designed to have cusp geometries of magnetic field inside plasma chamber, where ions are confining and their mean lifetimes increase. The magnetic confinement produced a number of permanent magnetic poles helps to increase beam currents and reduce the emittance. Therefore optimizing the number of magnets confining more ions and increasing their mean lifetime in plasma has to be investigated in order to improve the performance of the ion source. In this work a numerical simulation of the magnetic flux density from a number of permanent magnets is carried to optimize the cusp geometries producing the highest plasma density, which is clearly indicated along the full-line cusp geometry. The effect of magnetic fields and a number of poles on the plasma structure are investigated by a computing tool. The electron confinement effect becomes stronger and the density increases with increasing the number of poles. On the contrary, the escape of electrons from the loss cone becomes more frequent as the pole number increases [1]. To understand above observation the electron and ion's trajectories along with different cusp geometries are simulated. The simulation has been shown that the optimized numbers of magnets can improve the ion density and uniformity.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2015

The KOTRON-13 cyclotron was manufactured by Samyoung Unitech as the second generation of the KIRAMS-13 cyclotron after its technology was transferred from the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences in South Korea. Its prototype was installed at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital as part of a distributed network of regional cyclotrons with the support of a grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea. However, its initial condition has limited capacity to extract a relatively low beam current and to produce carbon-11. In this review, we provide an introduction and overview of the current state of the KOTRON-13 cyclotron, which was successfully upgraded by carrying out various modifications and optimizing the carbon-11 target system.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.304-309
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• 2023

In the last decade, nuclear medicine appears to be a good choice of medicine. ⁵⁸Co, ⁹⁹Mo, ⁹⁹Tc, ⁹⁹Re, ¹³³Xe and ¹⁸⁶Re are very important radionuclides for nuclear medicine. In this study, the excitation functions of ⁵⁸Ni (n, p) ⁵⁸Co, ⁹⁹Tc (n, p) ⁹⁹Mo, ⁹⁹Ru (n, p) ⁹⁹Tc, ¹³¹Xe (n, p) ¹³¹I, ¹³³Cs (n, p) ¹³³Xe and ¹⁸⁶Os (n, p) ¹⁸⁶Re nuclear reactions were calculated at neutron energies between 1 and 20 MeV using TALYS 1.95 and EMPIRE 3.2 nuclear codes. Furthermore, the cross sections were calculated with the empirical formula derived in our past study at 14-15 MeV. The obtained results were compared with the measured values in EXFOR library, and with the evaluated data of (JENDL-4.0/HE, JEFF-3.3, TENDL-2019, ENDF/B-VIII.0, IRDFF-II, JENDL/ImPACT-18). The results are in good agreement with those of the evaluated data libraries and experimental results and indicates that these radioisotopes can be produced by smaller cyclotrons.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2019

Nuclear imaging is one of the most powerful measures for non-invasive diagnosis of myocardial vascular disease. Radionuclide such as ¹³N, ¹⁵O, ²⁰¹Tl and ⁸²Rb is used for the measurement of cardiac blood flow. ¹³N, ¹⁵O and ²⁰¹Tl are produced in cyclotrons while ⁸²Rb is obtained from generator. Rubidium (Rb), an alkali ion, behaves biologically like potassium, and accumulates in myocardial tissue. Rb has rapid blood clearance profile which allows the use of ⁸²Rb with a short physical half-life of 75 s for non-invasive evaluation of regional myocardial perfusion. There are several advantages of ⁸²Rb over other radioisotopes. An ultra-short half-life significantly reduces the exposure of patients to radiation and allows to repeat injections for studying the effects of medical intervention. As a positron emitter, ⁸²Rb allows positron emission tomography (PET) imaging which have shown superior diagnostic performances. ⁸²Rb can be produced from generator by decay of its parent ⁸²Sr. However, the preparation of ⁸²Sr is difficult, because appropriate purity is required to meet the specification of the product. Recently reported procedure from ARRONAX research institute showed that a Chelex-100 resin is sufficient for this purpose and additional column is not necessary. Whereas Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) procedure contains three ion exchange resin separation, including Chelex-100 resin. Currently, since ⁸²Sr production site is non-existent in Korea, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has plan to produce ⁸²Sr within specifications. We compared ⁸²Sr purification procedures reported from ARRONAX and BNL to investigate the most suitable procedure for our conditions.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.141-145
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• 2017

Background: The concrete walls inside the vaults of cyclotron facilities are activated by neutrons emitted by the targets during radioisotope production. Reducing the amount of radioactive waste created in such facilities is very important in case they are decommissioned. Thus, we proposed a strategy of reducing the neutron activation of the concrete walls in cyclotrons during operation. Materials and Methods: A polyethylene plate and B-doped Al sheet (30 wt% of B and 2.5 mm in thickness) were placed in front of the wall in the cyclotron room of a radioisotope production facility for pharmaceutical use. The target was Xe gas, and a Cu block was utilized for proton dumping. The irradiation time, proton energy, and beam current were 8 hours, 30 MeV, and $125{\mu}A$, respectively. To determine a suitable thickness for the polyethylene plate set in front of the B-doped Al sheet, the neutron-reducing effects achieved by inserting such sheets at several depths within polyethylene plate stacks were evaluated. The neutron fluence was monitored using an activation detector and 20-g on de Au foil samples with and without 0.5-mm-thick Cd foil. Each Au foil sample was pasted onto the center of a polyethylene plate and B-doped Al sheet, and the absolute activity of one Au foil sample was measured as a standard using a Ge detector. The resulting relative activities were obtained by calculating the ratio of the photostimulated luminescence of each foil sample to that of the standard Au foil. Results and Discussion: When the combination of a 4-cm-thick polyethylene plate and B-doped Al sheet was employed, the thermal neutron rate was reduced by 78%. Conclusion: The combination of a 4-cm-thick polyethylene plate and B-doped Al sheet effectively reduced the neutron activation of the investigated concrete wall.