molybdenum188technetium188

Molybdenum-188 (¹⁸⁸Mo) is a radioactive isotope of molybdenum. It is a parent radionuclide to tungsten-188 (¹⁸⁸W), which in turn decays to rhenium-188 (¹⁸⁸Re). This decay chain is of significant interest in nuclear medicine for the production of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. ¹⁸⁸Mo is typically produced via neutron irradiation of molybdenum-186 or through the fission of uranium.

The primary application of ¹⁸⁸Mo is as a source for generating ¹⁸⁸Re. ¹⁸⁸Re is a beta-emitting radionuclide with a half-life of 16.9 hours, making it suitable for targeted radiotherapy. ¹⁸⁸Mo, with its longer half-life of 66.7 hours, can be eluted from a generator to provide a supply of ¹⁸⁸Re. This ¹⁸⁸Re can then be incorporated into targeting vectors, such as antibodies or peptides, that bind to specific cancer cells. Upon reaching the tumor site, the emitted beta particles deliver a therapeutic radiation dose to the cancerous tissue, while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy cells.

The development of ¹⁸⁸Mo/¹⁸⁸Re generators has been crucial for the clinical application of this isotope pair. These generators allow for the on-demand production of ¹⁸⁸Re at the point of care, facilitating its use in nuclear medicine departments worldwide. Research continues to explore new ways to utilize the therapeutic potential of ¹⁸⁸Re delivered via ¹⁸⁸Mo generators for various types of cancer.