The Value of Offering an Introductory Radiopharmacy Course at Canadian Universities
Lexi Gower-Fry | University of AlbertaEnoch ABC Ballroom
The use of radionuclides in nuclear imaging, as well as radiotherapy of cancer and other diseases, is a rapidly growing area in the medical field. Therefore, it is beneficial to offer a course that covers the fundamentals of radiopharmaceutical sciences which includes training and education on the safe-handling and application of radioactive materials. The Fundamentals of Radiopharmaceutical Science course offering is an intensive 2-week course with lectures in the morning and hands-on lab sessions in the afternoon, with a final exam at the end of the course. Radiation safety principles and procedures, as well as nuclear chemistry basics are established before the course progresses into practical work. Subsequently, students learn about radiation measurement techniques and their limitations to gain an understanding of radiation detection, another important aspect of radiation safety. They also learn about classic nuclear chemistry principles including radioactive half-lives, decay modes and differences between radioactive emissions (i.e., alpha, beta, gamma, and Auger electrons). Also, students prepare a radio-fluorinated compound using Silicon-Fluoride Acceptor (SiFA) methodology, the same principle currently used in the clinic to prepare [18F]SiTATE for PET imaging of neuroendocrine tumors. Students also perform a kit-labeling of 99mTc-MDP (Medronate), a skeletal imaging agent, and determine the radiochemical purity. Students also gain practical experience through using standard radiolabeling protocols to coordinate a radiometal, 68Ga, to various chelators. Upon completion of this intensive course, students will have gained valuable experience in an active radiochemistry laboratory where they partake in radiation safety procedures, handling radioactivity, and the synthesis of some established radiopharmaceutical compounds using various methodologies. This foundation and training provide the skills for students to effectively work in a radiopharmacy or radiochemistry-focused research laboratory where they can continue to deepen their knowledge as well as contribute to the fields of nuclear chemistry and medicine.