What is the maximum energy of F-18?

The maximum energy of a positron emitted from fluorine-18 (F-18) is 0.635 MeV. F-18, a commonly used isotope in PET imaging, undergoes positron emission when its nucleus decays. The energy of the emitted positron represents the difference in energy between the original state of the nucleus and the remaining electron configuration after decay.

This energy value is critical for understanding how F-18 interacts within the body and is essential for calibrating PET systems, as it affects the detection sensitivity and the resolution of the imaging process. When positrons collide with electrons in the body, they annihilate and produce gamma photons, which are detected by PET scanners. The maximum energy of the positrons therefore has implications for the facilities and safety protocols in radiopharmaceutical handling.

In the context of the provided options, while other energies may represent theoretical values from different isotopes or hypothetical scenarios, 0.635 MeV is the specific maximum energy associated with the decay of F-18.