Copper-64

Its unusually long half-life (12.7-hours) for a positron-emitting isotope makes it increasingly useful when attached to various ligands, for PET and PET-CT scanning.

At the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center (MURR) 64Cu was produced using high-energy neutrons via the 64Zn(n,p)64Cu nuclear reaction in high specific activity but low yield.

Compared to typical PET radionuclides it has a relatively long half-life, which can be advantageous for therapy, and for imaging certain physiological processes.

[4][5][6] Experimental preclinical work has shown that 64Cu linked to methanephosphonate functional groups has potential as a bone imaging agent.

64Cu-ETS has been used for experimental preclinical myocardial, cerebral and tumor perfusion evaluations, with a linear relationship between the renal uptake and blood flow.

Areas of low oxygen retention have been shown to be resistant to external beam radiotherapy because hypoxia reduces the lethal effects of ionizing radiation.

64 Cu-ATSM – copper(II) (diacetyl-bis (N4-methylthiosemicarbazone)) – is being studied as a possible cancer therapy.