Ytterbium-176 Isotope Separation Technology Status and Application

¹⁷⁷Lu is recognized as one of the most promising therapeutic radionuclides for targeted radiotherapy due to its relatively long half-life, ease of labeling antibodies and peptide drug molecules, and the low energy and short range of its β-ray emissions. Currently, the indirect method of reactor production of ¹⁷⁷Lu is preferred because it yields a product with high specific activity and no long-lived ^177mLu impurities. The production of no-carrier ¹⁷⁷Lu relies on high-abundance ¹⁷⁶Yb isotopic precursors. This paper reviews several ¹⁷⁶Yb isotope separation techniques, including electromagnetic separation, laser methods, and chemical methods, focusing on their preparation principles, current research status, future market demands, and application prospects. China has made certain progress in electromagnetic and laser separation methods. However, to achieve a stable supply of high-abundance ¹⁷⁶Yb, further research and technological innovation are still needed to build an independent and controllable supply system for medical isotopes and ensure the healthy development of the nuclear medicine industry.