A new route to produce 52gMn with high purity for MultiModal Imaging

The 52gMn radionuclide is suitable for the innovative MultiModal Imaging technique, and in particular for a PET/MRI scan, due to its physical properties. The standard cyclotron-based production of 52gMn relies on the nuclear reaction NatCr(p,x)52gMn, but we have investigated theoretically the possibility of an alternative and competitive route, the reaction NatV(α,x)52gMn, which has not been considered for this purpose so far. By using the nuclear reaction code TALYS, we found some discrepancies between the theoretical calculations of the cross sections and the corresponding experimental data. Therefore we tuned the parameters governing the nuclear level densities in the microscopic models implemented in TALYS, thus improving the agreement with the data. Then, by studying the cross sections for 52gMn and its contaminants, we have identified an optimal energy window for the production of high purity 52gMn, around 40 MeV. We have also calculated the time evolution of the number of nuclei of the different Mn isotopes, for an irradiation in this energy window, finding that this route is expected to lead to a higher yield and Radionuclidic Purity with respect to the standard reaction with NatCr. The study suggests the reaction NatV(α,x)52gMn as a promising alternative route for the production of 52gMn.