Programs on radioisotopes for nuclear medicine at LNL and international connections: The LARAMED and ISOLPHARM projects.

Radiopharmaceuticals are important tools for the modern nuclear medicine routines and the production of innovative and alternative radionuclides of medical interest is fundamental for the research advancement in the field. In such framework, at INFN-LNL, two complementary multidisciplinary accelerator-based projects, LARAMED (LAboratory of RAdionuclides for MEDicine) and ISOLPHARM (ISOL technique for radioPHARMaceuticals) will exploit the 70 MeV proton cyclotron of the SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) facility for the production of medical radionuclides. In particular, LARAMED is focused on the direct-activation method exploring the proton-based production of Tc-99m, Cu-67, Mn-52, Sc-47 and recently Tb-isotopes. ISOLPHARM will study innovative radionuclides such as Ag-111 using the SPES ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) facility. The combination of the electromagnetic mass separation, typical of the ISOL technique, and an eventual chemical separation process will ensure a high specific activity final product. The current research activities, with a focus on the selection of the optimal production routes and developed technologies, will be presented in detail.