Abstract
BACKGROUND: The integration of positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) holds promise for advancing diagnostic imaging capabilities. The METRICS project aims to develop cyclotron-driven production of (52)Mn for PET/MRI imaging. RESULTS: Using the (52)Cr(p,n)(52)Mn reaction, we designed chromium metal targets via Spark Plasma Sintering and developed a separation procedure for isolating (52)Mn. Labeling tests were conducted with traditional chelators (i.e. S-2-(4-Isothiocyanatobenzyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane tetraacetic acid) and the 1.4-dioxa-8-azaspiro[4.5]decane-8- carbodithioate ligand to produce radioactive complexes suitable for PET/MRI applications. Our methodology yielded high-quality (52)Mn suitable for PET radiopharmaceuticals and PET/MRI imaging. Preliminary studies on phantom imaging using microPET and clinical MRI demonstrated the efficacy of our approach. CONCLUSIONS: The developed technology offers a promising avenue for producing (52)Mn and enhancing PET/MRI imaging capabilities. Further in vivo investigations are warranted to evaluate the potential advantages of this hybrid imaging technique.