terbium-149

Terbium-149 is a radioactive isotope of the element terbium and is an alpha-emitting radionuclide with a half-life of approximately 4.1 hours. It decays by emitting high-energy alpha particles (Eα ≈ 3.97 MeV), making it highly suitable for targeted alpha therapy (TAT) in nuclear medicine[3][6][7]. The short-range and high linear energy transfer (LET) of its alpha emissions allow for localized destruction of tumor cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue[1][3]. Terbium-149 also emits positrons, enabling its use in positron emission tomography (PET), which provides theranostic capabilities—combining therapeutic and diagnostic functions in one agent[4][6]. Its production is technically challenging due to the need for advanced facilities such as CERN-ISOLDE or TRIUMF-ISAC that can perform spallation followed by mass separation and radiochemical purification[6]. Preclinical studies have demonstrated promising results when terbium-149 is conjugated to tumor-targeting molecules like antibodies or folate derivatives for selective delivery to cancer cells[2][1].

Other names

terbium-149terbium149terbium 149149TbTb-149Tb149Tb 149