82results about "Isotope delivery systems" patented technology

Systems and methods for generating radionuclides, such as radium-224, are disclosed herein. Systems herein may include a first cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween having a first resin having affinity for thorium-228 and bismuth-212; a second cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween having a second resin having affinity for thorium-228, a third cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween comprising a third resin having affinity for thorium-228 and bismuth-212, and a fourth cartridge having a first opening, a second opening, and a chamber therebetween having a fourth resin having affinity for lead-212; wherein a continuous flow path is formed from a top of the first cartridge though the second cartridge, through the third cartridge, and to a bottom of the fourth cartridge during system use.

A radioisotope target station, including a target housing. The target housing includes a target material, and a target backing material. The radioisotope target station includes a loader mechanism comprising at least one jaw configured to secure the target housing, a loading position comprising a magazine, wherein the magazine is configured to hold two or more target housings, an irradiation position comprising a beam, where the beam is configured to irradiate the target housing orthogonally, a cooling fluid source fluidly coupled to the loader mechanism, where the cooling fluid source is configured to cool the target housing as the target housing is irradiated, and an ejection position comprising an ejector and an ejection chute, where the ejector is configured to detach the target housing from the loader mechanism and the ejection chute is configured to receive the target housing when detached.

The present invention relates to assemblies and method for obtaining a container comprising 212Pb on the walls obtained from a 212Pb precursor isotope source. The invention provides an improved system and method for producing 212Pb in high purity without the need for processing, with high yields, and which safely and efficiently can be transported to the locations where it is to be used.

A pierceable plug for closing off a piercing end of a needle is described herein. The plug has an end that is configured to be pierced by the needle to close off the piercing end of the needle. The plug may be radiation sterilizable and may be made of a material that includes an antimicrobial agent. The plug may be used to close off a needle end that is in fluid communication with a radioactive substance.

The present invention relates to an RI manufacturing apparatus including an accelerator, a target irradiated with a particle beam of an accelerated particle emitted from the accelerator, and an incident angle adjustment mechanism that adjusts an incident angle of the particle beam to the target. The apparatus further comprises a target attachment and detachment device attached to the accelerator.

Some aspects are generally related to gripper systems for manipulating holders and / or containers disposed therein for use with radionuclide generators. In some embodiments, the gripper system further facilitates the insertion and / or removal of a stopper from the container, which may maintain a sterility of an interior of the container before and / or after exposure of the container to radionuclides from the radionuclide generator.

A method and system (300) for separating thorium from uranium and its decay products is provided. The method includes combining a nuclear fuel feedstock (102) containing thorium and uranium with a first acid (104, 204) to form a first solution. The first solution is contacted with an ion exchange resin (308) that is selective for thorium or uranium. The thorium or uranium is at least partially removed from the first solution by binding the thorium or uranium to the ion exchange resin (308), thereby forming a second solution (106, 206). The second solution (106, 206) is combined with oxalic acid to precipitate the uranium or thorium from the second solution, forming a precipitate (110, 210). The precipitate (110, 210) is separated from the second solution (106, 206).

The present invention extracts, at a use point such as a hospital: a radiopharmaceutical using radioactive molybdenum-99 having low specific activity as a raw material; and radioactive technetium-99m, which serves as a labeling compound raw material for the radiopharmaceutical.　Activated carbon or alumina is charged into a metal net-like cylindrical container which is not a column in which flow rate is limited. The metal net-like cylindrical container is immersed in a molybdenum solution brought to a low-pH acidic state and kept flowing by stirring, thereby preparing a molybdenum-99-adsorbed column in which the molybdenum-99 is adsorbed on the activated carbon or the alumina. The technetium-99m generated from the molybdenum-99 is eluted out from the molybdenum-99-adsorbed column and is then passed through a technetium-99m purification column filled with aluminum oxide, thereby capturing the technetium-99m. Physiological saline having a neutral pH is passed through the technetium-99m purification column, thereby separating and eluting out the technetium-99m, which is purified and recovered after impurities are removed therefrom.

An apparatus for producing Pb-212. The apparatus comprises an emanation box that comprises an emanation source comprising a porous non-reactive material. The emanation box receives at least one of Th-228 and Ra-224, wherein the at least one of Th-228 and Ra-224 decays to Rn-220 within the emanation box. The apparatus further includes a carrier gas feed coupled to the emanation box. The carrier gas feed directs an inert gas into the emanation box and the inert gas carries the Rn-220 out of the emanation box through a carrier gas exit port of the emanation box. The apparatus also includes one or more Rn-220 targets coupled to the carrier gas exit port. The carrier gas carries the Rn-220 from the emanation box to the one or more Rn-220 targets and the Rn-220 decays into Pb-212 within the one or more Rn-220 targets. The Pb-212 is directed into the Pb-212 collection container.

Various embodiments include a method of producing purified lutetium-177. The method may include irradiating a target material containing lutetium-176 in a nuclear reactor, separating lutetium-177 from the irradiated target material using electromagnetic isotope separation, dissolving the separated lutetium-177 in an acidic solution, purifying the dissolved lutetium-177 using a series of chromatographic columns and ion resins, and eluting the purified lutetium-177 in a final chemical form suitable for medical use. The chromatographic columns may include a first column containing a lanthanide resin and a second column containing a diglycolamide resin. The final chemical form may be lutetium-177 chloride.

The present invention relates to a method for producing actinium-225 from proton spallation of a thorium target via a radium generator. The method includes the steps of dissolving a thorium target in a thorium solution, evaporating the thorium solution to obtain a dried thorium salt, redissolving the dried thorium salt in sulfuric acid to form neutral thorium species, passing the neutral thorium species through a cation exchange chromatography column to remove bulk thorium, performing extraction chromatography on a mixed resin bed to elute the radium, evaporating the radium-containing eluate, reconstituting the dried radium, and performing extraction chromatography to elute a purified radium fraction, thereby constructing a radium generator.

The invention relates to wet preparation of a radiation therapy source and a method for accumulating radium radionuclides. The method comprises providing a first solution comprising a thorium radionuclide and a thorium binding extractant, wherein the first solution does not bind to radium; allowing a portion of the thorium radionuclides in the first solution to decay to radium atoms; and collecting radium atoms resulting from the decay. The collected radium atoms may be contained in a solution into which a brachytherapy source is immersed in a manner that collects radium atoms onto the brachytherapy source.

The invention relates to an arrangement for integrated production of a plurality of unit dosages of an anhydrous radiopharmaceutical composition, to anhydrous and aqueous radiopharmaceutical compositions and to methods for the preparation thereof.

A method of generating a radionuclide includes receiving a container in a container receptacle of a radionuclide generator, and moving the container in the container receptacle from a first pose to a second pose. The method also includes exposing an interior surface of the container to a precursor radionuclide source while the container is in the second pose, and allowing sufficient time for the precursor radionuclide source to decay into one or more progeny radionuclides and to emanate the one or more progeny radionuclides into the container. The method further includes isolating the precursor radionuclide source from the container while the container is in the first pose.

A radioisotope generator is disclosed, the radioisotope generator comprising: a housing; a radioactive source region located in the housing and configured to receive a radioactive source emitting a radioisotope; and a container movement mechanism located in the housing. The container movement mechanism is configured to cause movement of a first container between: (i) a source exposure position, wherein the first container is positioned in the housing adjacent to the radioactive source, and wherein an internal surface of the first container is configured to be exposed to the radioactive source to receive the radioisotope; and (ii) a collection position, wherein the first container is positioned in the housing for elution of the received radioisotope.

An enclosure for producing radioisotopes from material to be irradiated within a thimble guide tube of a nuclear reactor core is provided. The enclosure is constructed of enriched material and defines a cavity therein. The cavity of the enclosure is configured to contain the material to be irradiated. A target assembly for producing synthetic radioisotopes and a method for producing pharmaceutical radioisotopes using the target assembly are also provided.

The invention relates to the technical field of radioactive source preparation, in particular to a preparation process of a 137Cs source for a blood irradiator. The process comprises the following steps: step 1, preparing raw materials: using 137Cs product liquid extracted from high-level liquid waste, wherein the radioactive activity of the 137Cs product liquid meets the basic requirements of a cesium source for a blood irradiator; step 2, cesium source pellet pressing: loading a 137Cs raw material into a mold, pressing a pellet in a hydraulic machine, and then drying and sintering at high temperature to obtain the cesium source pellet; and step 3, welding and sealing: the cesium source core block is arranged in a stainless steel source box, and the source box and the sleeve are sealed through an argon arc welding technology. The invention provides a process for purifying and transforming 137Cs product liquid extracted based on high-level liquid waste. A prepared radioactive source has the characteristics of high uniformity, high radioactive activity, small size, high difficulty, high sealing performance and the like; meanwhile, the 137Cs product liquid is successfully converted into the radioactive source meeting the standard of the blood irradiator, and autonomous preparation of the 137Cs source for the domestic blood irradiator is achieved.

A method of generating radionuclides includes receiving a container in a container receptacle of a radionuclide generator, and moving the container in the container receptacle from a first attitude to a second attitude. The method further includes exposing an inner surface of the container to the precursor radionuclide source when the container is in the second attitude; and giving sufficient time to decay the precursor radionuclide source into the one or more seed radionuclides and to diffuse the one or more seed radionuclides into the container. The method further includes isolating the precursor radionuclide source from the container when the container is in the first attitude.

Methods for setting up, maintaining and operating a radiopharmaceutical infusion system, that includes a radioisotope generator, are facilitated by a computer of the system. The computer may include pre-programmed instructions and a computer interface, for interaction with a user of the system, for example, in order to track contained volumes of eluant and / or eluate, and / or to track time from completion of an elution performed by the system, and / or to calculate one or more system and / or injection parameters for quality control, and / or to perform purges of the system, and / or to facilitate diagnostic imaging.

A system and method are provided for obtaining radium radionuclides by separating radium from thorium and other nuclides. The system and method in one embodiment can comprise a multi-column configuration in which the first column is a strong cation exchange column onto which radium is adsorbed, the next columns comprise TEVA and TRU resins that adsorb and removes nuclides from radium, and subsequent columns can include Pb resin, mono- or di-phosphonic acid based resins, and / or prefilter resin, that further remove nuclides from radium.

A method and a system for eluting a desired activity concentration of a daughter radionuclide-containing eluate obtained from a mixture of mother / daughter radionuclides is disclosed. The method comprises contacting separation particles with an aqueous solution containing a mixture of mother and daughter radionuclides wherein daughter radionuclides bind to separation particles and mother radionuclides does not. That contact is maintained for a time for unbound daughter radionuclide to bind to the separation particles. The unbound mother radionuclide is separated from the daughter radionuclide-bound separation particles using a washing solution. A first fractional amount of the bound daughter radionuclide is stripped from the separation particles using a volume of stripping solution so that an aqueous eluate solution having a desired daughter radionuclide activity is obtained. The remaining aqueous solution containing a second fractional amount of the desired daughter radionuclide still in the aqueous solution is retained.

Method and apparatus for the generation and isolation of radionuclides comprising the steps of providing a radioactive gas, allowing the radioactive gas to decay to form charged daughter radionuclides, providing a liquid in contact with the gas, subjecting the charged daughter radionuclides (16) to an electric field between two electrodes (5,6), thereby absorbing the charged daughter radionuclides (16) in the liquid, and isolating the liquid comprising the charged daughter radionuclides (16).

To extract, at hospitals or other use points, a radiopharmaceutical made from low-specific-activity radioactive molybdenum-99 and of radioactive technetium-99m as a raw material for a labeling compound for the radiopharmaceutical. Pack activated charcoal or alumina into a cylindrical metal mesh rather than a column, with which the flow rate is limited, in advance, adjust the molybdenum solution to a low-pH, acidic state, and then immerse the cylindrical metal mesh into the molybdenum solution while the molybdenum solution is flowing as a result of being stirred, to prepare a molybdenum-99-adsorbing column in which the molybdenum-99 has been adsorbed onto the activated charcoal or alumina, then elute the technetium-99m produced from the molybdenum-99 from the molybdenum-99-adsorbing column, and pass the eluate through a technetium-99m-purifying column packed with aluminum oxide to trap the technetium-99m, and then pass neutral-pH physiological saline through the technetium-99m-purifying column to separate and elute the technetium-99m, thereby purifying and recovering the technetium-99m while removing impurities.

A pierceable plug for closing off a piercing end of a needle is described herein. The plug has an end that is configured to be pierced by the needle to close off the piercing end of the needle. The plug may be radiation sterilizable and may be made of a material that includes an antimicrobial agent. The plug may be used to close off a needle end that is in fluid communication with a radioactive substance.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for producing Pb-212. [Solution] The apparatus comprises a release box equipped with an release source containing a porous, non-reactive material. The release box receives at least one of Th-228 and Ra-224, and at least one of Th-228 and Ra-224 decays into Rn-220 within the release box. The apparatus further includes a carrier gas supply unit coupled to the release box. The carrier gas supply unit introduces an inert gas into the release box, and the inert gas transports Rn-220 out of the release box through the carrier gas outlet port of the release box. The apparatus also includes one or more Rn-220 targets coupled to the carrier gas outlet port. The carrier gas transports Rn-220 from the release box to one or more Rn-220 targets, where Rn-220 decays into Pb-212 within one or more Rn-220 targets. The Pb-212 is introduced into a Pb-212 collection container.

The present invention relates to a medical radioisotope transport system that securely holds the radiopharmaceutical imaging system or medical elution system to the floor of a vehicle and ensures the protection of the elution system during transportation. The transport system as per the present invention includes at least a floor-mounting device, a support mechanism with transportation plates, and a locking device. The transport system as per the present invention is encompassed with advanced technical and safety features to ensure safe transportation of radiopharmaceuticals ensuring compliance to the regulatory and quality requirements. The transport system as per the present invention is easy to use, and successfully overcome all the complexities involved in prior available methods for transportation of radiopharmaceutical imaging systems or medical radioisotope elution systems.

Various embodiments include an ion source assembly. The ion source assembly may include an oven configured to receive a charge material through an upstream end, an ionization reaction volume adjacent a downstream end of the oven that may be configured to receive a neutral gas, a cathode assembly positioned to generate an electron beam directed toward the ionization reaction volume, and an anode positioned downstream of the ionization reaction volume. The ionization reaction volume may be disposed between the oven and the cathode assembly. The electron beam may flow in a direction opposite to a flow of ions generated in the ionization reaction volume.

This invention provides a method for separating lead radioisotopes from a mixture comprising lead radioisotopes and radioisotopes of radium or thorium, and a system comprising multiple chromatographic columns. The system may include a first ferrule column having a lead complexing medium that preferentially binds lead radioisotopes compared to radium or thorium radioisotopes; and a second ferrule column having a weak cation exchange medium, wherein the pH of the loading solution for loading the second ferrule column is pH [pH value missing]. 2L The pH of the eluent used to elute lead radioisotopes from the second cassette column is pH. 2E And pH 2L greater than pH 2E The system may also include a third and a fourth cassette column with chromatographic media for the extraction and purification of lead radioisotopes, thereby providing a purified solution of lead radioisotopes that can be used for medical and other purposes, such as for labeling radiopharmaceutical compounds.