PRODUCTION AND RADIOCHEMICAL PROCESS CONTROL FOR SHORT-LIVED MEDICAL RADIONUCLIDES

Abstract Various aspects of radionuclide production, radiochemical separations, labeled compound and radiopharmaceutical synthesis require time and skill, may become tedious, and may expose the chemist to unacceptably high or cumulative effects of radiation. Once a radiochemical process is established and a routine demand exists for a specified radiochemical form, it is advantageous to automate the process. The criteria to be met include ease of manipulation of the radioactivity, reliability that does not require operator intervention or necessitable exposure of personnel to radiation, and simplicity to re-program. The characteristics of selected commercial compact medical cyclotrons are summarized. Institutions having programs involving cyclotrons and PET have been identified. Examples of semi-automated, remote systems for handling Curie levels of 11 C, 15 O, 81 Rb- 81m Kr 123 Xe- 123 I, and 201 Pb- 201 Tl are cited. It is proposed that robotics will be introduced into hot cell operations for radiochemical processing and radiopharmaceutical synthesis by 1984. Continued research will lead to evaluation of alternative designs before robots are available at hospital-based medical cyclotrons. The smart, i.e., computer-controlled, machines will have built-in flexibility to incorporate several radiochemical processes and future programs.

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