Cyclotron Production of Copper-67: Exploring the limits

Objectives.
Copper-67 (67Cu, half-life 61.83 h, β--emission [mean energy 140 keV], γ-emission [184.6 keV with 48.7 % intensity, i.a.]), is a promising radiometal due to its theranostic potential. While 61Cu and 64Cu are suitable for PET, matched pair 67Cu brings a therapeutic counterpart to the table. However, broad application of this radionuclide is limited due to its low availability. No-carrier-added 67Cu can be produced through the 70Zn(p,α)67Cu reaction, while featuring a low yield and the need of expensive 70Zn target material. Nevertheless, co-production of other copper nuclides (from other zinc isotopes low-content) as well as contamination with stable copper can be minimized but not completely eliminated.