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Table 1 Decay characteristics and applications for certain Rare Earth radionuclides

From: Cutting edge rare earth radiometals: prospects for cancer theranostics

Radionuclide

Half-life (h)

Decay characteristics

Average decay particle energy (keV)a

Maximum γ energy (keV)

(intensity %)a

Nuclear reaction(s) for radionuclide production

Applications to nuclear medicine

43Sc

3.89

β+ (88%)

EC (12%)

419

373 (22%)

40Ca(α,n)43Ti → 43Sc

43Ca(p,n)43Sc

46Ti(p,α)43Sc

PET

44Sc

4.04

β+ (94%)

EC (6%)

632

1157 (100%)

45Sc(p,2n)44Ti → 44Sc

44Ca(p,n)44Sc

44Ca(d,2n)44Sc

44Ca(α,3np)44Sc

PET

47Sc

80.4

β (100%)

162

159 (68%)

48Ca(p,2n)47Sc

44Ca(α,p)47Sc

46Ca(n,γ)47Ca → 47Sc

47Ti(n,p)47Sc

48Ti(γ,p)47Sc

51 V(γ,α)47Sc

48Ca(γ,n)47Ca → 47Sc

β-therapy, SPECT

149Tb

4.1

α (17%)

β+ (7%)

EC (76%)

3970 (α)

728 (β+)

165 (26%)

352 (29%)

389 (18%)

817 (12%)

853 (16%)

Ta-foil spallation

152Gd(p,4n)149Tb

141Pr(12C,4n)149Tb

142Nd(12C,5n)149Tb

α-therapy, PET

152Tb

17.5

β+ (20%)

EC (80%)

1142

344 (64%)

Ta-foil spallation

152Gd(p,n)152Tb

PET

155Tb

127.7

EC (100%)

 

87 (32%)

105 (25%)

Ta-foil spallation

155Gd(p,n)155Tb

159Tb(p,5n)155Dy → 155Tb

SPECT

161Tb

166.8

β (100%)

12.4 e per decay

154 (β)

3.75 per AE

26 (23%)

49 (17%)

75 (10%)

160Gd(n,γ)161Gd → 161Tb

β-therapy, Auger electron therapy, SPECT

132La

4.6

β+ (42%)

EC (58%)

1290

 

132Ba(p,n)132La

134Ba(p,3n)132La

PET

133La

3.9

β+ (7%)

EC (93%)

461

278 (2%)

290 (1%)

302 (2%)

134Ba(p,2n)133La

135Ba(p,3n)133La

PET

135La

18.9

EC (> 99%)

10.6 e per decay

 < 4 per AE

481 (2%)

135Ba(p,n)135La

136Ba(p,2n)135La

137Ba(p,3n)135La

Auger electron therapy

166Ho

26.8

β (100%)

665

80.6 (6%)

1379 (1%)

165Ho(n,γ)166Ho

164Dy(n,γ)165Dy(n,γ)166Dy → 166Ho

β-therapy, SPECT

153Sm

46.3

β (100%)

224

103 (29%)

152Sm(n,γ)153Sm

β-therapy, SPECT

165Er

10.4

EC (100%)

5.3 (65.6%) 38.4 (4.8%)

 

166Er(p,2n)165Tm → 165Er

165Ho(p,n)165Er

165Ho(d,2n)165Er

Auger electron therapy

169Er

225.6

β (100%)

100

 

168Er(n,γ)169Er

β-therapy

149Pm

53.0

β (100%)

363

286 (3%)

148Nd(n,γ)149Nd → 149Pm

148Nd(p,γ)149Pm

150Nd(p,2n)149Nd → 149Pm

148Nd(d,n)149Pm

150Nd(d,3n)149Pm

150Nd(γ,n)149Nd → 149Pm

β-therapy

143Pr

326.4

β (100%)

315

 

141Pr(n,γ)142Pr(n,γ)143Pr

142Ce(n,γ)143Ce → 143Pr

β-therapy

170Tm

3086.4

β (100%)

317

84 (3%)

169Tm(n,γ)170Tm

β-therapy, SPECT

  1. aValues calculated from the IAEA Live Chart of Nuclides, Nuclear Structure and Nuclear Decay Data; https://www-nds.iaea.org/relnsd/vcharthtml/VChartHTML.html (accessed 16 May 2022)