UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Magazine Fall 2015 | Page 9
research update
The AIF houses the
center profile
continued from page 13
most innovative,
cutting-edge
Positron Emission
Tomography
(PET) imaging
equipment found
in Alabama.
While the AIF’s clinical operation features PET,
imaging agents for PET,” Dr. Eary says. “We recently
the core of its research enterprise is the 61,000-pound
began making a second radioisotope, Carbon 11,
cyclotron. The UAB TR24 cyclotron is a type of
which is strictly a research radioisotope for new PET
particle accelerator that moves protons — positively
imaging agents and has a very short half-life of about
charged nuclear particles — along a circular path to
20 minutes. We are using these new imaging agents in
strike a target, enabling researchers to make a variety
research clinical protocols, which is very exciting.”
of radiotracers or agents in quantities large enough to
Half-life is defined as however long it takes for
advance several clinical and research imaging efforts.
half of the radioisotope to decay away. Carbon 11’s
Because the cyclotron is on site, it enables UAB
half-life of 20 minutes is considered fairly fast, which
to produce n