Time coincidence detection window for gamma cascade isotopes

Abstract

Techniques of performing gamma ray coincidence detection are provided. The techniques include identifying, using a first voltage data signal obtained using at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to a sample material, a first time value corresponding to a leading edge of the first voltage data signal and identifying, using a second voltage data signal obtained using the at least one gamma ray detector, a second time value corresponding to a leading edge of the second voltage data signal. The techniques further include determining, using the first and second time values, a time difference value and determining whether the time difference value is greater than or less than a threshold coincidence value to identify whether the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition.

Description

TIME COINCIDENCE DETECTION WINDOW FOR GAMMA CASCADE ISOTOPESCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 655,928, filed June 4, 2024, titled “TIME COINCIDENCE DETECTION WINDOW FOR GAMMA CASCADE ISOTOPES,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND

[0002] Gamma spectroscopy is used to detect and quantify radioactive isotopes by measuring the energies of gamma rays. The measured energies are compiled into a pulse-height histogram, which represents the counts of gamma rays per energy range. This histogram contains peaks at specific energies characteristic of individual isotopes.SUMMARY

[0003] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of performing gamma ray coincidence detection including: using at least one computer processor to perform: identifying, using a first voltage data signal obtained using at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to a sample material, a first time value corresponding to a leading edge of the first voltage data signal; identifying, using a second voltage data signal obtained using the at least one gamma ray detector, a second time value corresponding to a leading edge of the second voltage data signal; determining, using the first and second time values, a time difference value; and determining whether the time difference value is greater than or less than a threshold coincidence value; and responsive to determining that the time difference value is less than the threshold coincidence value, determining that the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition.

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including, responsive to determining that the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition, appending gamma ray energy counts to a pulse-height histogram.

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including, identifying a composition of the sample material as comprising one or more isotopes based on the pulse-height histogram.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including, determining and performing a quality control action based on the composition of the sample material.

[0007] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the quality control action includes: purifying the sample material to generate a higher purity sample material; or irradiating the sample material with a neutron flux, proton beam, or ionizing radiation.

[0008] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including, selecting the sample material for production of a radiopharmaceutical based at least in part on the pulse-height histogram.

[0009] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including, manufacturing the radiopharmaceutical using the sample material.

[0010] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, further including: obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector; and obtaining the second voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the at least one gamma ray detector includes a first gamma ray detector and a second gamma ray detector.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector includes obtaining the first voltage data signal using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma ray detector.

[0013] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector includes obtaining the first voltage data signal responsive to the at least one gamma ray detector receiving a gamma ray from the sample material, the sample material including Co60.

[0014] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein: obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector includes obtaining a voltage signal corresponding to detection of a 1332 keV gamma ray emitted by the sample material, and obtaining the second voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector includes obtaining a voltage signal corresponding to detection of a 1173 keV gamma ray emitted by the sample material.

[0015] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein identifying the first time value includes determining a time value corresponding to a maximum value of a second derivative of the first voltage data signal.

[0016] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein identifying the first time value includes determining a time value corresponding to a voltage value greater than a threshold voltage value.

[0017] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein determining whether the time difference value is greater than or less than a threshold coincidence value includes determining whether the time difference value is greater than or less than a value in a range from 50 ns to 100 ns.

[0018] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, including: at least one computer hardware processor; and at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer hardware processor, cause the at least one computer hardware processor to perform the methods described herein.

[0019] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, further including: a first gamma ray detector; and a second gamma ray detector, the first and second gamma ray detectors disposed adjacent to a sample position during operation of the system.

[0020] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the first gamma ray detector includes a high purity germanium (HPGe) gamma ray detector.

[0021] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by at least one computer hardware processor, cause the at least one computer hardware processor to perform the methods described herein.

[0022] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of performing gamma ray coincidence detection including: collecting a first voltage data signal obtained using at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to a sample material; transmitting the first voltage signal to a processor configured to identify from the first voltage signal a leading edge of the first voltage data signal and to determine at least in part from the leading edge of the first voltage data signal a first time value parameter; collecting a second voltage data signal obtained using the at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to the sample material; transmitting the second voltage signal to the processor, the processor also being configured to identify from the second voltage signal a leading edge of the second voltage data signal and to determine at least in part from the leading edge of the second voltage data signal a second time value parameter; determining, using the processor, a time difference value parameter based on at least the first and second time value parameters; comparing, using the processor, a magnitude of the time differencevalue parameter to a predetermined threshold coincidence value to produce a magnitude comparison parameter; and based at least in part on the magnitude comparison parameter, outputting from the processor a signal indicative of whether or not the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition, wherein the signal is indicative of the sample material having undergone a sequential radiative transition time difference when the magnitude comparison parameter value is indicative of the time difference value parameter not exceeding the time difference value parameter.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0023] Various aspects and embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures. It should be appreciated that the figures are not drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing.

[0024] FIG. 1 is an illustrative gamma spectrum showing a Compton continuum.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a gamma ray detection system, in accordance with some embodiments of the technology described herein.

[0026] FIG. 3 is an illustrative plot of two voltage signals and with a coincidence time calculated using measured pulse peaks of the two voltage signals.

[0027] FIG. 4 is an illustrative plot of the two voltage signals of FIG. 3 and with a coincidence time calculated using measured leading edges of the two voltage signals, in accordance with some embodiments of the technology described herein.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process 500 for performing gamma ray coincidence detection, in accordance with some embodiments of the technology described herein.

[0029] FIG. 6 is a diagram of an illustrative computer system, in accordance with some embodiments of the technology described herein.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Radioactive isotopes may be detected and / or quantified using gamma ray spectroscopy. As described herein, measured energies of gamma rays are compiled into a pulseheight histogram, which represents the counts of gamma rays per energy range. Different radioactive isotopes may be identified based on peaks at specific energies in the pulse-height histogram.

[0031] Ideally, a pulse-height histogram would only contain distinct peaks corresponding to the full energy of the gamma rays emitted by the radioactive isotope(s). However, due to variouseffects during a gamma ray's interaction with the detector (e.g., Compton scattering), the gamma ray's energy is often only partially deposited at the detector. This partial deposition adds counts to lower energy ranges, creating the Compton continuum in the histogram. This phenomenon can partially or completely obscure peaks at lower energies, complicating or even preventing the detection of certain isotopes. An example of a pulse-height histogram is provided in FIG. 1, which illustrates peaks 102 and 104 and the Compton continuum 106. The peaks 102 and 104 correspond to Co60 gamma ray energies of 1173 keV and 1332 keV, and the Compton continuum 106 occupies a wide range of energies below the peaks 102 and 104.

[0032] Coincidence detection techniques may be used to overcome issues introduced by Compton scattering, particularly for gamma cascade isotopes. A gamma cascade isotope (e.g., Co60, Ac228, 1131, Ra226, U238, etc.) is an isotope which undergoes sequential transitions through different energy levels, emitting gamma rays for each of the sequential transitions (e.g., either concurrently or via a parent decay followed by a subsequent daughter decay with a short half-life). The transition time between these energy levels is typically on the order of picoseconds to nanoseconds such that, if gamma rays corresponding to transition energies of the isotope are detected within a certain time window, it can be ascertained with high confidence that activity corresponding to a desired gamma cascade isotope has been detected. Coincidence detection can therefore be useful for detecting cascade isotopes whose gamma ray activity would otherwise be obscured by the Compton continuum.

[0033] The inventors have recognized and appreciated that conventional coincidence detection, which is based on the detection of voltage peaks output by gamma ray detectors, can result in false measurements and therefore have an imperfect accuracy in detecting gamma cascade isotopes. Accordingly, the inventors have developed techniques based on the identification of the leading edge of a voltage signal generated by a gamma ray detector, thereby reducing the threshold coincidence detection window and improving gamma ray detection accuracy by reducing false positive detection rates.

[0034] In some embodiments the techniques include obtaining first and second voltage data signals corresponding to gamma ray detection events by first and second gamma ray detectors disposed adjacent a sample to be analyzed. The first and second voltage data signals may then be used to identify time values corresponding to leading edges of the first and second voltage data signals, and a time difference between the two leading edges may further be determined. The determined time difference may be compared to a threshold coincidence value (e.g., in a range from 50 ns to 100 ns) and, if the time difference value is determined to be less than the thresholdcoincidence value, it may be determined that the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition.

[0035] Following below are more detailed descriptions of various concepts related to, and embodiments of, methods and apparatus for improved coincidence detection of gamma cascade isotopes. It should be appreciated that various aspects described herein may be implemented in any of numerous ways. Examples of specific implementations are provided herein for illustrative purposes only. In addition, the various aspects described in the embodiments below may be used alone or in any combination and are not limited to the combinations explicitly described herein.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a gamma ray detection system 200, in accordance with some embodiments of the technology described herein. A sample material 202 (e.g., containing one or more radioactive isotopes, gamma cascade isotopes, or other material to be analyzed) may be disposed adjacent a first gamma ray detector 204a and a second gamma ray detector 204b. The first gamma ray detector 204a and / or the second gamma ray detector 204b may be high-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma ray detectors, in some embodiments. Alternatively or additionally, the first gamma ray detector 204a and / or the second gamma ray detector 204b may be silicon lithium (SiLi) detectors, sodium iodide (Nal) detectors, and / or passivated implanted planar silicon (PIPS or PiPSi) detectors.

[0037] As shown in the example of FIG. 2, the first gamma ray detector 204a and the second gamma ray detector 204b may be disposed opposite one another with the sample material 202 disposed between the first gamma ray detector 204a and the second gamma ray detector 204b. However, it should be appreciated that other arrangements where the first gamma ray detector 204a and the second gamma ray detector 204b cover a substantial portion of the solid angle around the sample material 202 may be possible, as aspects of the technology described herein are not limited in this respect.

[0038] In some embodiments, the sample material 202 may emit a first gamma ray, y1?and a second gamma ray, y2, as part of a gamma cascade process. The first gamma ray detector 204a and / or the second gamma ray detector 204b may receive the first gamma ray, y1?and the second gamma ray, y2, and convert the gamma ray energy into one or more electrical signals (e.g., current signals and / or voltage signals). The first gamma ray detector 204a and / or the second gamma ray detector 204b may transmit the one or more electrical signals to circuitry 206, which may be configured to alter the received electrical signals (e.g., to convert the received electrical signals to digital signals, to amplify the received electrical signals, to filter the received electrical signals, to timestamp the received electrical signals, etc.). In some embodiments, the circuitry 206 maycomprise one or more of a preamplifier, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and / or a field- programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0039] In some embodiments, the circuitry 206 may transmit the altered electrical signals to one or more computing devices 208 configured to perform coincidence detection. Alternatively or additionally, the circuitry 206 may transmit the altered electrical signals to one or more computer-readable memories to later be accessed by one or more computer processors for analysis.

[0040] The detected gamma rays are represented by a voltage pulse with a steep leading edge and an exponential fall-off on the trailing edge. FIG. 3 is an illustrative plot of two voltage signals, 302 and 304, representing detected gamma rays emitted by a sample. As shown in FIG. 3 and as is conventional in the art, the coincidence time difference value, tq, is determined based on the pulse peak locations 303 and 305, resulting in a coincidence time difference value of 307 ns. Accordingly, these two gamma rays would be identified as belonging to a cascade event if the threshold coincidence window is greater than 307 ns (e.g., on the order of 500 ns to 1 ps). This detection technique complicates time coincidence detection, as the length of the leading edge for pulses of the same gamma ray energy can vary significantly, directly affecting the time position of the pulse peak. This variation necessitates a larger time comparison window for accurate time coincidence detection, which allows for more false positive identifications of cascade events.

[0041] In contrast, and as illustrated in FIG. 4 herein, identifying cascade events using the leading edge of the voltage signals 302 and 304 results in a smaller coincidence time difference value and therefore allows for the use of a smaller coincidence window. As shown in FIG. 4, leading edge locations 403 and 405 are used to determine the coincidence time difference value, t2, which is 25 ns. In some embodiments, the leading edge locations 403 and / or 405 may be identified based on the inflection at the baseline (e.g., based on a second derivative of the voltage signals 302 and / or 304). For example, the leading edge locations 403 and / or 405 may be identified as positions associated with a maximum value of the second derivative of the voltage signals 302 and / or 304. Alternatively or additionally, the leading edge locations 403 and / or 405 may be identified as positions associated with a threshold value above the baseline of the voltage signals 302 and / or 304. It should be appreciated that the leading edge locations 403 and / or 405 may be identified using one or more techniques, and that aspects of the technology are not limited in this respect.

[0042] Using the leading edge of the voltage signals 302 and 304 therefore allows the coincidence window to be on the order of tens of nanoseconds (e.g., in a range from 50 ns to 100ns). Because only pulses identified as being caused by coincidence events are used to build the pulse-height histogram, the use of the leading edge of the voltage signals and a shorter coincidence window significantly reduces the Compton continuum and the peak area to total count ratio of the pulse-height histogram, improving accuracy in isotope identification.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process 500 for performing gamma ray coincidence detection, in accordance with some embodiments of the technology described herein. The process 500 may be executed using any suitable computing device. For example, in some embodiments, the process 500 may be performed by a computing device contained within the gamma ray detection system (e.g., system 200). In some embodiments, the process 500 may be performed by a computing device communicatively coupled to the test equipment, either locally (e.g., over a local access network or by direct connection to the test equipment) or remotely (e.g., over a cloud computing environment).

[0044] In some embodiments, the process 500 may begin at act 502, in which a first time value corresponding to a leading edge of a first voltage data signal is identified. The first voltage data signal may be obtained using at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to a sample material and may be accessed using at least one computer processor (e.g., from one or more computer readable memories). The first time value may be identified, for example, by determining a second derivative of the first voltage data signal and determining a position at which the second derivative is maximized. Alternatively or additionally, the first time value may be identified by determining a time value at which the voltage value is equal to a threshold voltage value (e.g., a point at which the first voltage signal has risen sufficiently to indicate the leading edge of the first voltage signal).

[0045] In some embodiments, after act 502, the process 500 may proceed to act 504, in which a second time value corresponding to a leading edge of a second voltage data signal is identified. The second voltage data signal may be obtained using the at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to the sample material and may be accessed using the at least one computer processor (e.g., from one or more computer readable memories). The second time value may be identified using a similar method as used to identify the first time value.

[0046] In some embodiments, the method may additionally include obtaining the first and second voltage data signals using at least one gamma ray detector. For example, the first and second voltage data signals may be obtained using a first and a second gamma ray detector. In some embodiments, the at least one gamma ray detector may include a high-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma ray detector.

[0047] In some embodiments, the at least one gamma ray detector may generate the first and / or second voltage signals in response to receiving a gamma ray from the sample material. For example, the sample material may comprise C06O, and the sample material may generate gamma rays having energies of 1173 keV and 1332 keV. It should be appreciated, however, that while the examples and embodiments described herein are described in connection with Co60, the techniques described herein are suitable for identification of any gamma cascade isotope, including but not limited to: Co56, Irl92, Ac228, Bal33, Bal40, Lal40, Ini 11, Na24, Eul52, Eul54, 1131, 1134, Y86, Y88, Sbl24, Csl34, Sc46, Ga67, Nb94, Bi214, T1208, Lul76, Mn56; and may be further suitable or potentially suitable for: Lil i, Bel l, C18, N18, N19, 019, 021, 022, 023, 024, F22, F23, F24, F25, F26, Ne24, Ne25, Ne28, Ne29, Ne30, Ne32, Ne34, Na24m, Na25, Na28, Na29, Na30, Na31, Na32, Na33, Na34, Na35, Mg21, Mg22, Mg28, Mg29, Mg30, Mg31, Mg34, A122, A124, A124m, ABO, A134, A135, Si22, Si23, Si24, Si34, Si35, Si36, Si41, Si42, P28, P36, P38, P39, P40, P41, P42, P43, S28, S38, S39, S40, S42, S43, S43m, S44, C132, C134m, C138, C138m, C139, C140, C142, C143, C144, C145, C146, Ar32, Ar43, Ar44, Ar45, Ar47, Ar50, K35, K36, K43, K47, K48, K49, K50, K51, K52, Ca35, Ca36, Ca48, Ca50, Ca51, Ca52, Sc40, Sc42m, Sc44m, Sc46m, Sc48, Sc50, Sc50m, Sc52, Sc54, Sc54m, Sc58, Ti40, Ti44, Ti52, Ti53, Ti54, Ti58, V44, V44m, V54, V54m, V58, V60, V61, Cr44, Cr45, Cr48, Cr56, Cr58, Cr60, Cr61, Mn48, Mn50m, Mn52, Mn52m, Mn58m, Mn60, Mn60m, Mn61, Mn62, Fe46, Fe48, Fe49, Fe52, Fe52m, Fe53m, Fe60, Fe61, Fe62, Fe68, Co50, Co52, Co53m, Co54m, Co55, Co57, Co60m, Co62, Co62m, Co66, Co68, Co68m, Co70, Co70m, Co72, Co74, Ni48, Ni50, Ni52, Ni53, Ni55, Ni56, Ni57, Ni68, Ni68m, Ni69, Ni70, Ni72, Ni73, Ni74, Cu57, Cu58, Cu60, Cu67m, Cu68, Cu68m, Cu70, Cu70m, Cu70m2, Cu71, Cu72, Cu73, Cu74, Cu75, Cu76, Cu76m, Cu77, Cu78, Cu79, Zn54, Zn57, Zn58, Zn60, Zn62, Zn71m, Zn72, Zn73, Zn73m, Zn74, Zn76, Zn77, Zn77m, Zn78, Zn78m, Zn79, Zn80, Zn81, Ga60, Ga62, Ga64, Ga66, Ga72, Ga73, Ga74, Ga74m, Ga76, Ga77, Ga78, Ga78m, Ga79, Ga80, Ga81, Ga82, Ga83, Ga84, Ga84m, Ga85, Ge64, Ge66, Ge67, Ge75m, Ge77, Ge77m, Ge78, Ge79m, Ge81, Ge81m, Ge83, Ge84, Ge85, As66, As67, As68, As70, As78, As81, As82m, As83, As84, As85, As86, As87, Se67, Se68, Se69, Se70, Se73, Se73m, Se75, Se81m, Se83, Se83m, Se85, Se86, Se87, Se88, Se89, Br70, Br70m, Br72, Br72m, Br73, Br74, Br74m, Br75, Br76, Br76m, Br77, Br77m, Br78m, Br82, Br82m, Br84m, Br85, Br86, Br88, Br88m, Br89, Br90, Br91, Br92, Br93, Br94, Kr70, Kr72, Kr73, Kr73m, Kr74, Kr75, Kr76, Kr77, Kr88, Kr89, Kr90, Kr91, Kr92, Kr93, Kr94, Kr95, Kr95m, Kr99, Rb74, Rb75, Rb76, Rb77, Rb78, Rb78m, Rb79, Rb81, Rb81m, Rb82m, Rb84m, Rb88, Rb88m, Rb89, Rb90m, Rb91, Rb93, Rb94, Rb95, Rb96, Rb97, Rb98, Rb98m, Rb99, RblOO, RblOl, Rbl02, Sr75, Sr76, Sr77, Sr78,Sr79, Sr81, Sr83, Sr83m, Sr93, Sr96, Sr97, Sr98, Sr99, SrlOO, SrlOl, Srl02, Y78, Y78m, Y79, Y80, Y80m, Y80m2, Y81, Y83, Y83m, Y84m2, Y86m, Y88m, Y88m2, Y90m, Y93m, Y96m2, Y97, Y97m, Y97m2, Y98, Y98m, Y98m2, Y99, Y99m, Y100, YlOOm, Y101, Y102m, Y102m2, Y103, Zr80, Zr83, Zr85, Zr85m, Zr86, Zr87, Zr87m, Zr88, Zr88m, Zr97, Zr99, ZrlOl, ZrlO3, Zrl04, Nb83, Nb84, Nb84m, Nb85, Nb86, Nb87, Nb87m, Nb88, Nb88m, Nb89, Nb90, Nb91m2, Nb92, Nb94m, Nb96, Nb98m, Nb99, Nb99m, Nbl00m2, NblOl, Nbl02m2, NblO3, Nbl04, Nbl04m, NblO5, Nbl06, NblO8, NbllO, Mo84, M086, Mo87, M088, Mo89, Mo89m, Mo90, Mo93m, MolOl, Mol03, Mol04, Mol05, M0IO6, Mol07, M0IO8, Mol 10, Tc86, Tc86m, Tc88, Tc88m, Tc89, Tc89m, Tc90m, Tc90m2, Tc91, Tc91m, Tc92, Tc94, Tc95m, Tc96, Tc96m, Tc98, Tcl02m, Tcl04, TclO5, TclO8, Tcl09, TcllO, Tcll2, Tcll3, Ru91, Ru92, Ru93, Ru93m, Ru95, RulOlm, Rul05, Rul08, Rull3, Rull3m, Rull4, Rull5, Rh92, Rh94, Rh94m, Rh95, Rh95m, Rh96, Rh96m, Rh97m, Rh98m, Rh99, RhlOO, RhlOOm, Rhl00m2, Rhl00m3, RhlOl, RhlOlm, Rhl02m, Rhl06m, RhlO8, Rhl08m, RhllO, Rhll2m, Rhll3, Rhll4, Rhll4m, Rhll5, Rhll6, Rhll6m, Rhll7, Rhll8, Pd93, Pd94, Pd95m, Pd96, Pd97, Pd98, Pd99, PdlOO, PdlOl, Pdlllm, Pdll3, Pdll3m, Pdll3m2, Pdll5, Pdll5m, Pdll7, Pdll7m, Pdll8, Pdll9, Pdl20, Ag94m, Ag95, Ag95m, Ag95m2, Ag95m3, Ag96, Ag96m, Ag97, Ag97m, Ag98, Ag99, Ag99m, AglOO, AglOOm, AglOl, AglOlm, Agl02, Agl02m, Agl04, Agl04m, AglO5, Agl05m, Agl06m, Agl08m, AgllOm, Agll5, Agll5m, Agll6m, Agll6m2, Agll7, Agll7m, Agll8, Agll8m, Agll9, Agl20, Agl20m, Agl21, Agl22, Agl23, Agl24, Agl25, Agl26, Agl28, Agl30, Cd97, Cd98, Cd99, CdlOO, CdlOl, Cdl02, Cdl04, CdlO5, Cdl07, Cdl09m2, Cdlllm, Cdll7, Cdll7m, Cdll9, Cdll9m, Cdl21, Cdl21m, Cdl23, Cdl23m, Cdl24, Cdl25, Cdl25m, Cdl26, Cdl27, Cdl28, Cdl29, Cdl30, Cdl31, Cdl32, InlOO, InlOl, Inl02, InlO3, Inl03m, Inl04, Inl04m, InlO5, Inl05m, Inl06, Inl06m, Inl07, Inl07m, InlO8, Inl08m, Inl09, Inl09m, Inl09m2, Ini 10, Ini 11m, Ini 14m, Inll4m2, Ini 16m, Inll6m2, Ini 17, Ini 17m, Ini 18m, Inll8m2, Ini 19, Ini 19m, Inl20m, Inl20m2, Inl21, Inl21m, Inl22m, Inl22m2, Inl23, Inl24, Inl24m, Inl25, Inl25m, Inl26, Inl26m, Inl27, Inl27m, Inl28, Inl28m, Inl29, Inl29m, Inl30, Inl30m, Inl30m2, Inl30m3, Inl31, Inl31m, Inl31m2, Inl32, Inl33, Inl34, SnlOO, SnlOl, Snl02, SnlO3, Snl04, SnlO5, Snl06, Snl07, SnlO8, Snl09, Snlll, Snll5m, Snl25, Snl25m, Snl26, Snl27, Snl27m, Snl28, Snl28m, Snl29, Snl29m, Snl30, Snl30m, Snl31, Snl31m, Snl32, Snl32m, Snl33, Snl34, Snl35, Snl36, Sbl07, SblO8, Sbl09, SbllO, Sblll, Sbll4, Sbll4m, Sbll5m2, Sbll6, Sbll6m, Sbll7m, Sbll8m, Sbl24m, Sbl24m2, Sbl25, Sbl26, Sbl26m, Sbl27, Sbl28, Sbl28m, Sbl29, Sbl29m, Sbl30, Sbl30m, Sbl31, Sbl32, Sbl32m, Sbl33, Sbl33m, Sbl33m2, Sbl34, Sbl34m, Sbl35, Sbl36, TelO5, Tel06, Tel07, TelO8, Tel09,Tel 10, Tel 11, Tel 12, Tel 14, Tel 16, Tel 19m, Tel31, Tel31m, Tel31m2, Tel32, Tel32m, Tel32m2, Tel33m, Tel34, Tel34m, Tel35m, Tel36, Tel37, 1111, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1114m, 1115m, 1116, 1119, 1120, 1120m, 1121, 1124, 1130, 1130m, 1132, 1132m, 1133m, 1134m, 1136m, 1138, 1139, 1140, 1141, Xel09, Xel lO, Xel l l, Xel l2, Xel l3, Xel l4, Xel l6, Xel l9, Xel20, Xel21, Xel25m, Xel27, Xel27m, Xel32m, Xel34m, Xel38, Xel39, Xel40, Xel41, Xel42, Xel43, Xel44, Xel45, Csl l4, Csl l6, Csl l6m, Csl l8, Csl l8m, Csl l9, Csl l9m, Csl20, Csl20m, Csl21, Csl21m, Csl22m, Csl24m, Csl27, Csl27m, Csl32, Csl34m, Csl35m, Csl36, Csl38, Csl38m, Csl40, Csl41, Csl42, Csl43, Csl44, Csl46, Csl47, Csl48, Bal l4, Bal l6, Bal20, Bal21, Bal24, Bal25, Bal27, Bal27m, Bal29m, Bal30m, Bal31, Bal31m, Bal33m, Bal36m, Bal41, Bal42, Bal43, Bal44, Bal46, Bal47, Bal48, Bal49, Lal21, Lal23, Lal24, Lal24m, Lal25, Lal26, Lal26m, Lal27, Lal27m, Lal28, Lal29, Lal29m, Lal30, Lal31, Lal31m, Lal32, Lal32m, Lal33, Lal36m, Lal44, Lal46, Lal46m, Lal47, Lal48, Lal49, Cel21, Cel24, Cel25, Cel26, Cel27, Cel28, Cel30, Cel31, Cel31m, Cel32, Cel32m, Cel33, Cel33m, Cel35, Cel35m, Cel36m, Cel38m, Cel44, Cel46, Cel47, Cel48, Cel51, Cel51m, Cel52, Prl24, Prl25, Prl26, Prl27, Prl28, Prl30, Prl31, Prl31m, Prl32, Prl33, Prl34, Prl34m, Prl35, Prl35m, Prl36, Prl38m, Prl44m, Prl47, Prl48m, Prl51, Prl52, Prl53, Prl54, Ndl25, Ndl28, Ndl30, Ndl31, Ndl32, Ndl33, Ndl34, Ndl34m, Ndl35, Ndl35m, Ndl36, Ndl37m, Ndl39m, Ndl51, Ndl52, Ndl54, Ndl56, Pml30, Pml31, Pml32, Pml33, Pml34, Pml34m, Pml35, Pml35m, Pml36, Pml36m, Pml37, Pml38m, Pml40m2, Pml44, Pml46, Pml48m, Pml50, Pml52m, Pml54, Pml54m, Pml56, Pml57, Pml58, Pml59, Sml31, Sml34, Sml35, Sml36, Sml37, Sml39m, Sml40, Sml41m, Sml53m, Sml56, Sml57, Sml58, Sml59, Sml60, Sml61, Eul35, Eul36, Eul36m, Eul38, Eul39, Eul40, Eul40m, Eul41, Eul41m, Eul42m, Eul46, Eul48, Eul48m, Eul50, Eul50m, Eul52m, Eul52m2, Eul54m, Eul57, Eul58, Eul60, Eul61, Eul63, Gdl35, Gdl38, Gdl40, Gdl41, Gdl41m, Gdl43, Gdl43m, Gdl45m, Gdl46, Gdl47, Gdl49, Gdl57m, Gdl61, Gdl62, Gdl63, Tbl40, Tbl41, Tbl43, Tbl44m, Tbl45m, Tbl46, Tbl46m, Tbl46m2, Tbl47, Tbl47m, Tbl48, Tbl48m, Tbl49, Tbl49m, Tbl50, Tbl50m, Tbl51, Tbl51m, Tbl52m, Tbl54m2, Tbl54m3, Tbl56, Tbl56m, Tbl56m2, Tbl58, Tbl58m, Tbl58m2, Tbl60, Tbl62, Tbl63, Tbl64, Tbl65, Tbl67, Tbl68, Dyl41, Dyl45m, Dyl46, Dyl46m, Dyl47, Dyl47m, Dyl48, Dyl49, Dyl49m, Dyl50, Dyl51, Dyl53, Dyl55m, Dyl57m, Dyl59m, Dyl65m, Dyl67, Dyl68, Hol45, Hol46, Hol47, Hol48, Hol48m, Hol48m2, Hol49, Hol49m, Hol50, Hol50m, Hol51, Hol51m, Hol52, Hol52m, Hol53, Hol53m, Hol54, Hol54m, Hol54m2, Hol56, Hol56m, Hol56m2, Hol58, Hol58m, Hol58m2, Hol59, Hol59m, Hol60, Hol60m, Hol60m2, Hol62m, Hol66m, Hol66m2, Hol67, Hol68, Hol68m, Hol70,Hol70m, Hol71, Hol72, Erl48, Erl49, Erl49m, Erl50, Erl51, Erl51m, Erl51m2, Erl52, Erl53, Erl54, Erl55, Erl56, Erl57, Erl58, Erl59, Erl60, Erl61, Erl61m, Erl71, Erl73, Erl74, Erl75, Tml48, Tml49, Tml50, Tml50m, Tml51, Tml51m, Tml51m2, Tml52, Tml52m, Tml52m2, Tml53, Tml53m, Tml54, Tml54m, Tml54m2, Tml55, Tml55m, Tml56, Tml57, Tml58, Tml59, Tml60, Tml60m, Tml61, Tml62m, Tml64m, Tml66, Tml68, Tml74, Tml75, Tml76, Ybl52, Ybl52m, Ybl53, Ybl53m, Ybl54, Ybl55, Ybl56, Ybl57, Ybl58, Ybl59, Ybl60, Ybl61, Ybl63, Ybl66, Ybl67, Ybl69, Ybl69m, Ybl76m, Ybl77m, Ybl78, Ybl79, Ybl80, Lul52, Lul53, Lul53m, Lul54m, Lul54m2, Lul55, Lul55m, Lul55m2, Lul55m3, Lul56, Lul56m, Lul57m, Lul58, Lul59, Lul60, Lul60m, Lul61, Lul61m, Lul62, Lul62m, Lul62m2, Lul63, Lul64, Lul65, Lul66, Lul66m, Lul66m2, Lul67, Lul68, Lul68m, Lul69, Lul69m, Lul71, Lul71m, Lul72, Lul72m, Lul72m2, Lul74m, Lul74m3, Lul77m, Lul78m, Lul79, Lul80, Lul81, Lul82, Lul83, Lul84, Hfl56, Hfl56m, Hfl57, Hfl58, Hfl59, Hfl60, Hfl61, Hfl62, Hfl63, Hfl64, Hfl65, Hfl66, Hfl67, Hfl68, Hfl69, Hfl70, Hfl71, Hfl71m, Hfl72, Hfl73, Hfl77m, Hfl77m2, Hfl78m, Hfl78m2, Hfl79m2, Hfl80m, Hfl81, Hfl82, Hfl82m, Hfl83, Hfl84, Hfl84m, Hfl86, Tal56m, Tal57, Tal57m, Tal57m2, Tal58, Tal58m, Tal59, Tal59m, Tal60, Tal60m2, Tal61, Tal62, Tal63, Tal64, Tal65, Tal66, Tal67, Tal68, Tal69, Tal70, Tal71, Tal72, Tal73, Tal78, Tal81m, Tal82, Tal82m, Tal82m2, Tal83, Tal84, Tal86, W160, W161, W162, W163, W164, W165, W166, W167, W168, W169, W170, W171, W172, W173, W177, W179m, W187, W190, Rel61, Rel61m, Rel62, Rel62m, Rel63, Rel63m, Rel64, Rel65, Rel65m, Rel66, Rel67, Rel68, Rel69, Rel69m, Rel70, Rel71, Rel72, Rel72m, Rel73, Rel74, Rel76, Rel77, Rel78, Rel79, Rel80, Rel82, Rel82m, Rel83m, Rel84, Rel84m, Rel90, Rel90m, Osl64, Osl65, Osl66, Osl67, Osl68, Osl69, Osl70, Osl71, Osl72, Osl73, Osl74, Osl76, Osl77, Osl78, Osl79, Osl80, Osl81, Osl81m, Osl82, Osl90m, Osl93, Osl96, Irl65m, Irl66, Irl66m, Irl67, Irl67m, Irl68, Irl68m, Irl69, Irl69m, Irl70, Irl70m, Irl71, Irl72, Irl72m, Irl73, Irl73m, Irl74, Irl74m, Irl75, Irl76, Irl77, Irl78, Irl79, Irl80, Irl81, Irl82, Irl83, Irl84, Irl85, Irl86, Irl86m, Irl89m2, Irl90, Irl90m, Irl90m2, Irl92m, Irl92m2, Irl94m2, Irl95m, Irl96, Irl96m, Irl98, Ptl68, Ptl69, Ptl70, Ptl71, Ptl71m, Ptl72, Ptl73, Ptl74, Ptl75, Ptl76, Ptl77, Ptl78, Ptl79, Ptl80, Ptl81, Ptl82, Ptl83, Ptl83m, Ptl84, Ptl84m, Ptl85, Ptl85m, Ptl86, Ptl87, Ptl89, Ptl91, Ptl91m, Pt204, Aul70, Aul70m, Aul71, Aul71m, Aul72, Aul72m, Aul73, Aul73m, Aul74, Aul74m, Aul75m, Aul77, Aul78, Aul79, Aul80, Aul81, Aul82, Aul83, Aul84m, Aul85, Aul86, Aul87, Aul87m, Aul88, Aul89, Aul89m, Aul90, Aul90m, Aul91, Aul91m, Aul92, Aul92m, Aul92m2, Aul94, Aul94m, Aul94m2, Aul96, Aul96m, Aul96m2, Aul98m, Au200m, Au204, Au205, Hgl72, Hgl73, Hgl74, Hgl75, Hgl76, Hgl77,Hgl78, Hgl79, Hgl80, Hgl81, Hgl82, Hgl83, Hgl84, Hgl85, Hgl85m, Hgl85m2, Hgl86, Hgl87, Hgl87m, Hgl88, Hgl89, Hgl89m, Hgl90, Hgl91, Hgl91m, Hgl91m2, Hgl92, Hgl93, Hgl93m, Hgl94, Hgl95m, Hgl99m, Hg201m, Hg205m, Hg207, Hg208, T1176, T1177, T1177m, T1179m, T1181, T1181m, T1182, T1183m, T1184, T1185m, T1186, T1186m, T1187m, T1188, T1188m, T1189, T1189m, T1190, T1190m, T1191m, T1192, T1192m, T1193, T1193m, T1194, T1194m, T1194m2, T1195, T1195m, T1196, T1196m, T1197m, T1198, T1198m, T1198m2, T1199m, T1200, T1200m, T1201m, T1204m, T1209, T1210, Pbl80, Pbl81, Pbl82, Pbl83, Pbl83m, Pbl84, Pbl85, Pbl85m, Pbl86, Pbl87, Pbl87m2, Pbl88, Pbl89, Pbl90, Pbl91, Pbl92, Pbl93m, Pbl93m2, Pbl94, Pbl95, Pbl95m, Pbl96, Pbl97, Pbl97m, Pbl98, Pb200, Pb202m, Pb203m3, Pb204m, Pb205m, Pb206m, Pb206m2, Pb207m, Pb212, Pb214, Bil85, Bil85m, Bil86, Bil86m, Bil87, Bil88, Bil88m, Bil89, Bil90, Bil90m, Bil91 , Bil92, Bil92m, Bil92m2, Bil93, Bil93m, Bil94, Bil94m, Bil95, Bil95m, Bil96, Bil96m, Bil96m2, Bil97, Bil97m, Bil97m2, Bil98m, Bil98m3, Bil99m, Bi200, Bi200m, Bi200m2, Bi202, Bi203, Bi203m, Bi204, Bi204m, Bi204m2, Bi205, Bi206, Bi207, Bi207m, Bi208m, Bi212, Bi212m, Bi213, Bi215, Bi215m, Bi216, Bi218, P0I88, Pol89, Pol90, Pol91, Pol91m, Pol92, Pol93, Pol93m, Pol94, Pol95, Pol96, Pol96m, Pol97m, Pol97m2, Pol98, Pol99, Pol99m, Po200, Po200m, Po201, Po201m, Po202, Po203, Po203m, Po204, Po205, Po205m, Po205m2, Po206, Po207, Po207m, Po208, Po211m, Po216, Po218, Atl91m, Atl93, Atl94, Atl94m, Atl95, Atl95m, Atl96, Atl97, Atl97m, Atl98, Atl98m, Atl99, At200, At200m, At200m2, At201, At202m, At202m2, At202m5, At203, At204, At204m, At205, At206, At207, At208, At209, At210, At211, At216, At216m, At217, At218, At219, At220, Rnl93, Rnl95, Rnl95m, Rnl96, Rnl97, Rnl97m, Rnl97m2, Rnl98, Rnl99, Rn200, Rn201m, Rn202, Rn203, Rn203m, Rn204, Rn205, Rn206, Rn207, Rn207m, Rn208, Rn209, Rn210, Rn211, Rn212, Rn220, Rn221, Rn222, Rn223, Rn224, Rn225, Rn226, Rn227, Rn228, Fr200, Fr200m, Fr201, Fr202, Fr202m, Fr203, Fr204, Fr204m, Fr204m2, Fr205, Fr206, Fr206m, Fr206m2, Fr206m3, Fr207, Fr208, Fr209, Fr210, Fr211, Fr212, Fr213, Fr214, Fr214m, Fr215, Fr220, Fr221, Fr223, Fr224, Fr225, Fr226, Fr227, Fr228, Fr229, Fr230, Fr231, Fr232, Ra202, Ra203, Ra204, Ra205, Ra206, Ra207, Ra207m, Ra208, Ra209, Ra210, Ra211, Ra212, Ra213, Ra213m, Ra214, Ra214m, Ra215, Ra216, Ra224, Ra225, Ra226, Ra227, Ra228, Ra229, Ra230, Ra231, Ra232, Ac206, Ac206m, Ac207, Ac208, Ac208m, Ac209, Ac210, Ac211, Ac212, Ac213, Ac214, Ac215, Ac216, Ac216m, Ac217, Ac217m3, Ac218, Ac219, Ac220, Ac224, Ac225, Ac226, Ac227, Ac229, Ac230, Ac231, Ac232, Ac233, Ac234, Th209, 131210, Th211, Th212, Th213, Th214, Th215, Th216, Th216m, Th217, Th218, Th219, Th220, Th228, Th229, Th230, Th231, Th232, Th233, Th234, Th235, Th236, Th238, Pa212, Pa214, Pa215, Pa216,Pa217, Pa217m, Pa217m2, Pa218, Pa219, Pa220, Pa221, Pa222, Pa223, Pa224, Pa227, Pa228, Pa229, Pa230, Pa231, Pa232, Pa233, Pa234, Pa234m, Pa235, Pa236, Pa237, Pa238, Pa239, U217, U218, U218m, U219, U222, U223, U224, U229, U231, U232, U233, U234, U235, U235m, U236, U236m, U237, U238, U238m, U239, U240, U242, Np226, Np227, Np228, Np231, Np232, Np233, Np234, Np235, Np236, Np236m, Np237, Np238, Np239, Np240, Np240m, Np241, Np242, Np242m, Np243, Np244, Pu232, Pu233, Pu234, Pu235, Pu236, Pu237, Pu237m, Pu238, Pu239, Pu240, Pu241, Pu242, Pu243, Pu244, Pu245, Pu246, Am234, Am235, Am236, Am236m, Am237, Am238, Am239, Am240, Am241, Am242, Am242m, Am243, Am244, Am244m, Am244m3, Am245, Am246, Am246m, Am247, Cm238, Cm239, Cm240, Cm241, Cm242, Cm243, Cm244, Cm245, Cm246, Cm247, Cm248, Cm249, Cm251, Bk240, Bk241, Bk242, Bk243, Bk244, Bk245, Bk246, Bk247, Bk248m, Bk249, Bk250, Bk251, Cf242, Cf243, Cf244, Cf245, Cf246, Cf247, Cf248, Cf249, Cf250, Cf251, Cf252, Cf253, Cf255, Es242, Es243, Es244, Es245, Es246, Es247, Es248, Es249, Es250, Es250m, Es251, Es252, Es253, Es254, Es254m, Es254m2, Es255, Es256, Es256m, Es257, Fm246, Fm247, Fm247m, Fm248, Fm249, Fm250, Fm251, Fm252, Fm253, Fm254, Fm255, Fm256, Fm257, Md246, Md247, Md247m, Md248, Md249, Md250, Md251, Md255, Md256, Md257, Md258, No251, No251m, No252, No253, No254, No255, No256, No257, No259, Lr253, Lr253m, Lr254, Lr255, Lr259, Lr260, Rf255, Rf256, Rf257, Rf257m, Rf258, Rf259, Rf261, Db257, Db257m, Db258, Db263, Sg259, Sg260, Sg261, Sg263, Sg265, Sg265m, Bh261, Bh262, Bh262m, Hs264, Hs265, Hs265m, Hs267, Hs269, Mt266, Ds271, Ds271m, Ds273, and / or Cn277. In some embodiments, the gamma cascade isotope of interest may be suitable for radiopharmaceutical production, and may include one or more of: C06O, Co56, Irl92, Ac228, Bal33, Bal40, Lal40, Ini 11, Na24, Eul52, Eul54, 1131, 1134, Y86, Y88, Sbl24, Csl34, Sc46, Ga67, Nb94, Bi214, T1208, Lul76, and / or Mn56.

[0048] In some embodiments, after act 504, the process 500 may proceed to act 506, in which a time difference value may be determined using the first and second time values. For example, the time difference value may be determined by taking an absolute value of a difference between the first and second time values.

[0049] In some embodiments, after act 506, the process 500 may proceed to act 508, in which it may be determined whether the time difference value is greater than or less than a threshold coincidence value (e.g., the coincidence window). For example, the time difference value may be compared to a threshold coincidence value in a range from 50 ns to 100 ns. If the time difference value is determined to be less than or equal to the threshold coincidence value, then it may be determined that a gamma cascade event was observed. If the time difference value is determinedto be greater than the threshold coincidence value, then it may be determined that a gamma cascade event was not observed.

[0050] In some embodiments, after act 508, the process 500 may proceed to act 510, in which, responsive to determining that the time difference value is less than or equal to the threshold coincidence value, it is determined that the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition. In some embodiments, the gamma ray energies associated with the two detected gamma rays may then be added to a pulse-height histogram. In some embodiments, the determination of a sequential radiative transition may be used to identify the presence of a particular radioactive isotope or isotopes in the sample material or to identify a composition of the sample material.

[0051] In some embodiments, the pulse-height histogram and / or the identified composition of the sample material may be used to determine quality control and / or manufacturing actions to perform. As one example, the composition of the sample material may be used to inform a selection of a quality control action to improve the quality of the sample material. In some embodiments, the quality control action may include further purification of the sample material to generate a higher purity sample material or further irradiation of the sample material with a neutron flux, proton beam, or ionizing radiation to generate additional radioisotopes within the sample material (e.g., by causing additional radioactive decay). In some embodiments, the method may include performing the selected quality control action after identifying the composition of the sample material.

[0052] In some embodiments, the pulse-height histogram and / or the identified composition of the sample material may be used to determine whether the sample material is suitable for production of radiopharmaceuticals. For example, the pulse-height histogram and / or the identified composition of the sample material may be used to determine that the sample material is of a suitable purity for radiopharmaceutical production. In some embodiments, the method may further include manufacturing the radiopharmaceutical using the sample material after identifying the composition of the sample material.

[0053] FIG. 6 is a diagram of an illustrative computer system on which embodiments described herein may be implemented. An illustrative implementation of a computer system 600 that may be used in connection with any of the embodiments of the disclosure provided herein is shown in FIG. 6. In some embodiments, any one of the processes described herein may be implemented on and / or using the computer system 600. The computer system 600 may include one or more processors 610 and one or more articles of manufacture that comprise tangible (e.g., non-transitory) computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory 620 and one or more non-volatilestorage media 630). The processor 610 may control writing data to and reading data from the memory 620 and the non-volatile storage device 630 in any suitable manner. To perform any of the functionality described herein, the processor 610 may execute one or more processorexecutable instructions stored in one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media (e.g., the memory 620), which may serve as non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing processor-executable instructions for execution by the processor 610.

[0054] Having thus described several aspects and embodiments of the technology set forth in the disclosure, it is to be appreciated that various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the technology described herein. For example, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and / or structures for performing the function and / or obtaining the data and / or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and / or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. In addition, any combination of two or more features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods described herein, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0055] The above-described embodiments can be implemented in any of numerous ways. One or more aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure involving the performance of processes or methods may utilize program instructions executable by a device (e.g., a computer, a processor, or other device) to perform, or control performance of, the processes or methods. In this respect, various inventive concepts may be embodied as a computer readable storage medium (or multiple computer readable storage media) (e.g., a computer memory, one or more floppy discs, compact discs, optical discs, magnetic tapes, flash memories, circuit configurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other semiconductor devices, or other tangible computer storage medium) encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform methods that implement one or more of the various embodiments described above. The computer readable medium or media can be transportable, such that the program or programs stored thereon can be loaded onto one or more different computers or other processors toimplement various ones of the aspects described above. In some embodiments, computer readable media may be tangible (e.g., non-transitory) computer readable media. In some embodiments, the computer readable media may comprise a persistent memory.

[0056] The terms “program” or “software” are used herein in a generic sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that can be employed to program a computer or other processor to implement various aspects as described above. Additionally, it should be appreciated that according to one aspect, one or more computer programs that when executed perform methods of the present disclosure need not reside on a single computer or processor but may be distributed in a modular fashion among a number of different computers or processors to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0057] Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

[0058] Also, data structures may be stored in computer-readable media in any suitable form. For simplicity of illustration, data structures may be shown to have fields that are related through location in the data structure. Such relationships may likewise be achieved by assigning storage for the fields with locations in a computer-readable medium that convey relationship between the fields. However, any suitable mechanism may be used to establish a relationship between information in fields of a data structure, including through the use of pointers, tags or other mechanisms that establish relationship between data elements.

[0059] When implemented in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in a single computer or distributed among multiple computers.

[0060] Further, it should be appreciated that a computer may be embodied in any of a number of forms, such as a rack-mounted computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer, as non-limiting examples. Additionally, a computer may be embedded in a device not generally regarded as a computer but with suitable processing capabilities, including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smartphone, or any other suitable portable or fixed electronic device.

[0061] Also, a computer may have one or more input and output devices. These devices can be used, among other things, to present a user interface. Examples of output devices that can be used to provide a user interface include printers or display screens for visual presentation of outputand speakers or other sound generating devices for audible presentation of output. Examples of input devices that can be used for a user interface include keyboards, and pointing devices, such as mice, touch pads, and digitizing tablets. As another example, a computer may receive input information through speech recognition or in other audible formats.

[0062] Such computers may be interconnected by one or more networks in any suitable form, including a local area network or a wide area network, such as an enterprise network, and intelligent network (IN) or the Internet. Such networks may be based on any suitable technology and may operate according to any suitable protocol and may include wireless networks, wired networks or fiber optic networks.

[0063] Also, as described, some aspects may be embodied as one or more methods. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments.

[0064] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and / or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

[0065] The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

[0066] The phrase “and / or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and / or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and / or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and / or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0067] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily includingat least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and / or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0068] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of’ and “consisting essentially of’ shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:CLAIMS1. A method of performing gamma ray coincidence detection comprising: using at least one computer processor to perform: identifying, using a first voltage data signal obtained using at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to a sample material, a first time value corresponding to a leading edge of the first voltage data signal; identifying, using a second voltage data signal obtained using the at least one gamma ray detector, a second time value corresponding to a leading edge of the second voltage data signal; determining, using the first and second time values, a time difference value; and determining whether the time difference value is greater than or less than a threshold coincidence value; and responsive to determining that the time difference value is less than the threshold coincidence value, determining that the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to determining that the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition, appending gamma ray energy counts to a pulse-height histogram.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising identifying a composition of the sample material as comprising one or more isotopes based on the pulse-height histogram.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining and performing a quality control action based on the composition of the sample material.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the quality control action comprises: purifying the sample material to generate a higher purity sample material; or irradiating the sample material with a neutron flux, proton beam, or ionizing radiation.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising selecting the sample material for production of a radiopharmaceutical based at least in part on the pulse-height histogram.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising manufacturing the radiopharmaceutical using the sample material.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector; and obtaining the second voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one gamma ray detector comprises a first gamma ray detector and a second gamma ray detector.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector comprises obtaining the first voltage data signal using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) gamma ray detector.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector comprises obtaining the first voltage data signal responsive to the at least one gamma ray detector receiving a gamma ray from the sample material, the sample material comprising Co60.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector comprises obtaining the first voltage data signal responsive to the at least one gamma ray detector receiving a gamma ray from the sample material, the sample material comprising Co60, Co56, Irl92, Ac228, Bal33, Bal40, Lal40, Ini 11, Na24, Eul52, Eul54, 1131, 1134, Y86, Y88, Sbl24, Csl34, Sc46, Ga67, Nb94, Bi214, T1208, Lul76, and / or Mn56.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein: obtaining the first voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector comprises obtaining a voltage signal corresponding to detection of a 1332 keV gamma ray emitted by the sample material, andobtaining the second voltage data signal using the at least one gamma ray detector comprises obtaining a voltage signal corresponding to detection of a 1173 keV gamma ray emitted by the sample material.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first time value comprises determining a time value corresponding to a maximum value of a second derivative of the first voltage data signal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first time value comprises determining a time value corresponding to a voltage value greater than a threshold voltage value.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the time difference value is greater than or less than a threshold coincidence value comprises determining whether the time difference value is greater than or less than a value in a range from 50 ns to 100 ns.

17. A system, comprising: at least one computer hardware processor; and at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one computer hardware processor, cause the at least one computer hardware processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1-3, 6, and 13-16.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising: a first gamma ray detector; and a second gamma ray detector, the first and second gamma ray detectors disposed adjacent to a sample position during operation of the system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first gamma ray detector comprises a high purity germanium (HPGe) gamma ray detector.

20. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by at least one computer hardware processor, causethe at least one computer hardware processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1-3, 6, and 13-16.

21. A method of performing gamma ray coincidence detection comprising: collecting a first voltage data signal obtained using at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to a sample material; transmitting the first voltage signal to a processor configured to identify from the first voltage signal a leading edge of the first voltage data signal and to determine at least in part from the leading edge of the first voltage data signal a first time value parameter; collecting a second voltage data signal obtained using the at least one gamma ray detector disposed adjacent to the sample material; transmitting the second voltage signal to the processor, the processor also being configured to identify from the second voltage signal a leading edge of the second voltage data signal and to determine at least in part from the leading edge of the second voltage data signal a second time value parameter; determining, using the processor, a time difference value parameter based on at least the first and second time value parameters; comparing, using the processor, a magnitude of the time difference value parameter to a predetermined threshold coincidence value to produce a magnitude comparison parameter; and based at least in part on the magnitude comparison parameter, outputting from the processor a signal indicative of whether or not the sample material underwent a sequential radiative transition, wherein the signal is indicative of the sample material having undergone a sequential radiative transition time difference when the magnitude comparison parameter value is indicative of the time difference value parameter not exceeding the time difference value parameter.

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