biostudies-literatureGodara MLU.S. Department of EnergyNational Institutes of HealthNIH HHS34991https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12504599biostudies-literatureUnknown15(1)Theranostics, a combined approach of diagnostics and therapeutics, often employs F-block therapeutic radionuclides including ²²⁵Ac, ¹⁷⁷Lu, and ¹⁶¹Tb. While there is a lack of F-block PET imaging radionuclides, the in vivo PET generator pair ¹⁴⁰Nd/¹⁴⁰Pr can act as a theranostic imaging counterpart to the F-block therapeutic radionuclides. In this study, we explored the production and separation of high purity ¹⁴⁰Nd via the ¹⁴¹Pr(p,2n)¹⁴⁰Nd reaction route. Monoisotopic ¹⁴¹Pr targets irradiated with 20 MeV protons for 10 min with 10 µA beam current yielded 21.45 ± 0.82 MBq (580 ± 22 µCi) of ¹⁴⁰Nd. A two-step separation method was developed for the purification of ¹⁴⁰Nd fromScientific reportsProduction and radiochemistry of the in vivo PET generator <sup>140</sup>Nd/<sup>140</sup>Pr as an imaging surrogate for F-block therapeutic radionuclides.PMC12504599DESC0020197P30CA013148Houson HASamuel SLGodara MLCingoranelli SJLapi SETekin VSaini SfalseProduction and radiochemistry of the in vivo PET generator <sup>140</sup>Nd/<sup>140</sup>Pr as an imaging surrogate for F-block therapeutic radionuclides.Theranostics, a combined approach of diagnostics and therapeutics, often employs F-block therapeutic radionuclides including ²²⁵Ac, ¹⁷⁷Lu, and ¹⁶¹Tb. While there is a lack of F-block PET imaging radionuclides, the in vivo PET generator pair ¹⁴⁰Nd/¹⁴⁰Pr can act as a theranostic imaging counterpart to the F-block therapeutic radionuclides. In this study, we explored the production and separation of high purity ¹⁴⁰Nd via the ¹⁴¹Pr(p,2n)¹⁴⁰Nd reaction route. Monoisotopic ¹⁴¹Pr targets irradiated with 20 MeV protons for 10 min with 10 µA beam current yielded 21.45 ± 0.82 MBq (580 ± 22 µCi) of ¹⁴⁰Nd. A two-step separation method was developed for the purification of ¹⁴⁰Nd from2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Oct2026-06-04T05:59:35.549Z2026-05-06T03:07:53.065ZS-EPMC125045994105748110.1038/s41598-025-18929-4