Abstract: Methods for imaging beta cells in pancreatic tissue using radioisotopes of manganese, which may be referred to as radiomanganese, are described. Example radioisotopes of manganese include Mn-52g, Mn-52m, and Mn-51. As one example, radiomanganese can be used to image pancreatic beta cells, in which radiomanganese shows a preferential uptake. This provides for applications such as quantifying beta cell mass (e.g., functional beta cell mass), assessing transplant viability, and monitoring the efficacy of drug treatments. A pharmacological agent can be administered to modulate the uptake of divalent metals by the pancreatic beta cells, which can be correlated to a modulated uptake of radiomanganese to estimate pancreatic beta cell mass, function, or both.

Abstract: The present invention relates to targets, systems and methods for the cyclotron production of 124I from aluminum telluride (Al2Te3) targets. The systems and methods utilize low energy proton cyclotrons to produce 124I by the 124Te(p,n) reaction from enriched Al2Te3 glassy melts. The 124I is recovered in high yield from the glassy melt by adapted methods of common thermal distillation techniques.