Peñas, JuanAlejo, AarónBembibre, AdriánApiñaniz, Jon ImanolGarcía García, EnriqueGuerrero Sánchez, CarlosMillán Callado, María ÁngelesBenlliure, José2024-10-162024-10-162024-05-20Peñas, J., Alejo, A., Bembibre, A., Apiñaniz, J.I., García García, E., Guerrero Sánchez, C.,...,Benlliure, J. (2024). Production of carbon-11 for PET preclinical imaging using a high-repetition rate laser-driven proton source. Scientific Reports, 14 (1), Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-61540-2.2045-2322https://hdl.handle.net/11441/163710Most advanced medical imaging techniques, such as positron-emission tomography (PET), require tracers that are produced in conventional particle accelerators. This paper focuses on the evaluation of a potential alternative technology based on laser-driven ion acceleration for the production of radioisotopes for PET imaging. We report for the frst time the use of a high-repetition rate, ultraintense laser system for the production of carbon-11 in multi-shot operation. Proton bunches with energies up to 10–14 MeV were systematically accelerated in long series at pulse rates between 0.1 and 1 Hz using a PW-class laser. These protons were used to activate a boron target via the 11B(p,n)11C nuclear reaction. A peak activity of 234 kBq was obtained in multi-shot operation with laser pulses with an energy of 25 J. Signifcant carbon-11 production was also achieved for lower pulse energies. The experimental carbon-11 activities measured in this work are comparable to the levels required for preclinical PET, which would be feasible by operating at the repetition rate of current state-of-theart technology (10 Hz). The scalability of next-generation laser-driven accelerators in terms of this parameter for sustained operation over time could increase these overall levels into the clinical PET range.application/pdfengAtribución 4.0 Internacionalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-61540-2