The present disclosure generally relates to methods and structures for the production of radioisotopes from the thermal neutron irradiation of selected natural isotopes. The methods, structures and operations are applicable to the production of any radioisotope that may be produced from neutron irradiation.

Gallium-68 generators that are capable of producing gallium-68 from a germanium-68 source material are disclosed. The source material may be a matrix material (e.g., zeolite) in which germanium-68 is isomorphously substituted for central atoms in tetrahedra within the matrix material. Methods for forming gallium-68 generators are also disclosed.

The present invention provides a system for evaporating a radioactive fluid, a method for the synthesis of a radiolabelled compound including this system, and a cassette for the synthesis of a radiolabelled compound comprising this system. The present invention provides advantages over known methods for evaporation of a radioactive fluid as it reduces drastically the amount of radioactive gaseous chemicals that are released in the hot cell. It is gentler and more secure compared to the known process and provides access to radiosyntheic processes that may not been acceptable for safety reasons related to release of volatile radioactive gases during evaporation. In addition, the process yields are higher because the radioactive volatiles are labelled intermediate species.

Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and a method for producing a radiopharmaceutical, wherein the system is formed from and/or provides a microfluidic flow system. In certain embodiments, the system comprises a radioisotope isolation module, a radiopharmaceutical production module, a purification module and a quality control module.

A system and method for producing Germanium-68 (Ge-68) isotopes is provided. The method includes irradiating a plated or encapsulated target containing Gallium, dissolving the irradiated target with an acid, and purifying the dissolved target by distillation to produce purified Ge-68. A dissolution cell assembly is provided for use in the dissolution step of the method.

A reactor irradiation method is provided that can include irradiating Np or Am spheres within a target assembly of a nuclear reactor to form reacted spheres comprising Pu. The target assembly can define a solid core within an exterior housing, and a void between the exterior housing and the solid core, wherein the spheres occupy at least a portion of the void. The irradiating can include exposing the spheres to a neutron energy spectrum while the spheres are in the void of the target assembly to form irradiated spheres.

A method of separating actinium and/or radium from proton-irradiated thorium metal. The thorium metal is irradiated to produce isotopes including thorium, actinium and/or radium. The resultant product is dissolved in solution and a selective precipitant is used to precipitate a bulk portion of the thorium. The precipitated thorium can be recovered. Chromatography is carried out on the remaining solution to remove residual thorium and to separate the actinium from the radium.

Compositions comprising high levels of high specific activity copper-64, and process for preparing said compositions. The compositions comprise from about 2 Ci to about 15 Ci of copper-64 and have specific activities up to about 3800 mCi copper-64 per microgram of copper. The processes for preparing said compositions comprise bombarding a nickel-64 target with a low energy, high current proton beam, and purifying the copper-64 from other metals by a process comprising ion exchange chromatography or a process comprising a combination of extraction chromatography and ion exchange chromatography.

The invention relates to a method for preparing lead (212) for medical use. This method comprises the production of lead (212) by the decay of radium (224) in a generator comprising a solid medium to which the radium (224) is bound, followed by the extraction of the lead (212) from the generator in the form of an aqueous solution A1, characterised in that the lead (212) contained in the aqueous solution A1 is purified from the radiological and chemical impurities, also contained in said aqueous solution, by a liquid chromatography on a column. The invention also relates to an apparatus specially designed for automated implementation in a closed system of said method. It further relates to lead (212) produced by means of this method and this apparatus. Applications: manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals based on lead (212), useful in nuclear medicine for the treatment of cancers, particularly by a-radioimmunotherapy, or for medical imaging, in both humans and animals.

A target unit for producing Cu67 radioisotope is described herein, and comprises a cage body releasably coupled to a screw-on cap; and a ceramic capsule containing a solid Zn68 target ingot and having one open end and one closed end and defining an interior chamber for the target ingot. The ceramic capsule is releasably contained between the cage body and the screw-on cap with a lid disposed on the open end of the capsule and a washer positioned between the lid and the screw-on cap. The screw-on cap and the washer provide a water-tight seal between the lid and the capsule. The interior of the capsule is in intimate physical contact with the target ingot; and the Zn68 of the target ingot is free of traces of residual oxygen that interfere with contact of the Zn68 to the capsule.