Radiation Physics and Engineering
A peer-reviewed journal published by K. N. Toosi University of Technology

Experimental investigation of the effect of oxygen on the positron annihilation mechanisms in liquids

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Yeganeh Abdollahi pour 1
Omidreza Kakuee 2
Dariush Sardari 1
Ali Biganeh 2

1 Faculty of Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 14515-775, Tehran, Iran

2 Physics ‎and Accelerators Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, P.O. Box 14395-836, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22034/rpe.2024.467750.1212
Abstract
Treatment of cancer patients requires high-sensitivity diagnostic techniques. Recently, the Society of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy (PAS) has been working on hypoxia detection using positron lifetime and hopes to diagnose cancer at its initial phases. The accepted hypothesis for the use of positron as a biomarker of tumor hypoxia is that due to the distance between the blood vessels and the cancerous tissues, the oxygen concentration strongly decreases in cancerous tissues. The point that can put the PAS technique in the category of cancer diagnosis tools is its potential capability for oxygen-sensing in tissues. So, the partial pressure of oxygen in the patient’s tissues can be measured from the Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS). However, before the positron lifetime imaging technique can be established, it is essential to verify the oxygen-sensing capability of the PALS in various chemical environments. In this paper, the mechanisms of positron annihilation in the deionized water and air-bubbled water samples were investigated via systematic experiments by our homemade Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy (DBS) and PALS spectrometer. Three mechanisms for positron annihilation in the investigated liquid samples including oxidation, Positronium conversion, and Positronium inhibition were described. The outcome of this investigation could advance the development of the PALS method for detecting tumors before metastasis, using the J-PET machine, which is still under development at Jagiellonian University.

Highlights

  • Systematic experiments by PALS and DBS was performed to assess the effect of Oxygen on PAS parameters.
  • Cu-64 was produced for DBS experiment.
  • Three mechanisms of positron annihilation in oxygen content liquids was described.
  • The main reason for the O-Ps quenching in the presence of oxygen was discussed.

Keywords

Positronium
Lifetime
PAS
tumor
hypoxia
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Radiation Physics and Engineering
Volume 5, Issue 4
Autumn 2024
Pages 1-7

  • Receive Date 13 July 2024
  • Revise Date 20 August 2024
  • Accept Date 20 August 2024

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