New research in nuclear physics could lead to improved cancer treatments

2 minute read 

Scientists from NPL, Institut Laue Langevin (ILL) in France, CERN, the University of Valencia and the University of Surrey, have collaborated to perform the most complete study of the radioactive decay of ¹⁵²Tb to date, a radioisotope which could help create revolutionary targeted cancer diagnosis and therapies.

Very high energy protons (1.4 gigaelectron volts) were used to bombard a tantalum target at CERN to create and collect samples of trillions of atoms of ¹⁵²Tb. Measuring these samples using an array of high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometers at ILL, the collaboration was able to examine the signature light emitted following the decay of ¹⁵²Tb in the form of characteristic gamma rays, enabling the tagging of correlated gamma coincidence events within a billionth of a second of each other. The team are in the process of using systematic gamma-ray spectroscopic analysis to pin down the unique decay signature spectrum for this radioisotope.

This information coming out of this experiment will be of particular importance for when ¹⁵²Tb is used in patients to identify cancer sites and plan treatment.

This work represents another exciting step in research to realise the potential of the Terbium Theragnostic Quartet, a group of isotopes which could become a unique toolbox for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The NPL team are working within the PRISMAP consortium to develop new standards and precise data for a new generation of radioisotopes for medical applications for the UK and globally.

Find out about our work in nuclear metrology here