Advisor(s)

Emily Caffrey

Committee Member(s)

Charles Wilson
Remo George

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

6-18-2026

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

School

School of Health Professions

Department

Health Professions

Abstract

Lutetium-177 (Lu-177) is an upcoming radiopharmaceutical with commercial use recently approved for cancer treatment by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). During production, a contaminate, Lutetium-177 metastable (Lu-177m), can also be produced. The concentration of Lu-177m will vary greatly depending on the production method. One of the largest problems posed by this metastable contaminant is disposal challenges due to its longer half-life and more energetic decay process. This research models the potential for the decay in storage method to be used for disposal of Lu-177 waste based on the concentration of Lu-177m. Utilizing varying ratios of metastable per therapeutic dose, this research models Lu-177m concentration versus decay time to determine concentrations of Lu-177m that may be decayed in storage. The goal of this research is to determine the concentration of Lu-177m in the total activity of therapeutic lutetium that vendors can offer to hospitals while verifying that the material will remain below regulatory standards for decay in storage, thereby alleviating the waste challenges associated with accumulation.

Keywords

Lutetium;Radioactive Waste;Radiopharmaceuticals

Download

Share

COinS