Systems and methods for radioisotope generation

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for producing customized, predictable and reproducible supplies of radioisotopes using, for example, a reactor housing that is fabricated from a radioactive shielding material and has both an internal volume and a surface that comprises an entry port and an exit port, a chromatographic column that is positioned within said internal volume such that a first end of said column is in fluid communication with said entry port and a second end of said column is in fluid communication with said exit port, and a changeable filter module that is disposed external to said reactor housing and in fluid communication with said exit port.

1 . A system comprising:
 a reactor housing that is fabricated from a radioactive shielding material and has both an internal volume and a surface that comprises an entry port and an exit port;   a chromatographic column that bears at least one radioisotope and is positioned within said internal volume; and   a filter module that is disposed external to said reactor housing and in fluid communication with said exit port,   wherein said column is housed within a column assembly that is removable from the internal volume of the reactor housing.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said radioactive shielding material is lead, tungsten or depleted uranium. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said reactor housing is substantially rectilinear. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said reactor housing is substantially cylindrical. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said reactor housing includes a first end, a second end, and a wall extending between said first end and said second end. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said entry port and said exit port are positioned at said first end. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising a ridge of radioactive shielding material extending around said entry port at said first end. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising a ridge of radioactive shielding material extending around said exit port at said first end. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said column comprises aluminum oxide particles from about 50 to about 200 μm in size. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said column comprises silica gel particles from about 20 to about 100 μm in size. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said column comprises a polypropylene filter membrane, a glass filter membrane, or both in one or more layers. 
   
   
       12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said filter module comprises a sterile 13 to 25 mm filter membrane from about 0.1 to about 0.22 μm size. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said filter module is attached to said reactor vessel by a tread type adaptor. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein a needle is attached to said filter module. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a collection housing is connected to said reactor housing via said filter module. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said column comprises at least one radioisotope. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said at least one radioisotope is Molybdate Mo-99. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said at least one radioisotope is Pertechnetate Tc99m. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a delivery vessel that is disposed external to said reactor housing and in fluid communication with said column. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said delivery vessel is contained within a delivery housing that is fabricated from radioactive shielding material, such as lead, tungsten or depleted uranium. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein said delivery housing has a first end that includes a first coupling, a second end that includes a second coupling, and a wall extending between said first end and said second end. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein said first coupling is threaded. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 22  further comprising a transfer tool that comprises a pick-up and release rod having a handle at a first end thereof and a coupling at a second end thereof that is compatible with said first coupling. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein said transfer tool is a T-bar handle. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said delivery vessel comprises a solution of at least one radioisotope. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein said at least one radioisotope is Molybdate Mo-99. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 26  wherein said solution is Sodium Molybdate Mo-99. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 26  wherein said delivery vessel comprises about 1 to about 50 Ci. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said delivery vessel comprises Normal Saline [0.9%] solution. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 21  wherein said delivery housing abuts a ridge of material that is external to said reactor housing and extends around said entry port. 
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 21  wherein said delivery housing is at least partially contained within a ridge of material that is external to said reactor housing and extends around said entry port. 
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 20  wherein said delivery vessel is at least partially contained within a ridge of material that is external to said reactor housing and extends around said entry port. 
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a collection vessel that is disposed external to said reactor housing and in fluid communication with said column via said filter module. 
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 34  wherein said collection vessel is evacuated. 
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 34  wherein said collection vessel comprises a solution of at least one radioisotope. 
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 36  wherein said at least one radioisotope is Technetium Tc99m. 
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 36  wherein said solution is Sodium Pertechnetate Tc-99m. 
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an adapter disk disposed on said reactor housing, comprising a ridge of material that extends around said entry port and a ridge of material that extends around said exit port. 
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 39  further comprising an adapter ridge disposed circumferentially internal to said ridge of material that extends around said entry port. 
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 40  further comprising a saline vessel that is disposed external to said reactor housing and in fluid communication with said column. 
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 41  wherein said saline vessel comprises Normal Saline [0.9%] solution. 
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 34  wherein said filter module abuts a ridge of radioactive shielding material that is external to said reactor housing and extends around said exit port. 
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 34  wherein said filter module is at least partially contained within a ridge of radioactive shielding material that is external to said reactor housing and extends around said exit port. 
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 34  wherein said collection vessel is contained within a collection housing that is fabricated from radioactive shielding material. 
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 45  wherein said collection housing abuts a ridge of material that is external to said reactor housing and extends around said exit port. 
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 45  wherein said collection housing is at least partially contained within a ridge of material that is external to said reactor housing and extends around said exit port. 
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a cart that includes a plurality of delivery vessels that each independently comprises a reactor vessel. 
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a cart that includes a plurality of delivery vessels that each independently comprise a solution of at least one radioisotope and are contained within a delivery housing that is fabricated from radioactive shielding material. 
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 49  further comprising a conveyor belt for moving said delivery housing. 
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 49  further comprising a transfer tool for moving said delivery housing. 
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 49  wherein said at least one radioisotope is Molybdenum-99. 
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 49  wherein said solution is Sodium Molybdate Mo-99. 
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 49  wherein said delivery vessels each independently comprise about 1 to about 50 Ci. 
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a cart that includes a plurality of evacuated collection vessels. 
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a cart that includes a plurality of saline vessels. 
   
   
       57 .- 107 . (canceled) 
   
   
       108 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said column is a pre-loaded hot chromatographic column. 
   
   
       109 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said column assembly comprises a column housing. 
   
   
       110 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said column assembly comprises an adaptor plate having an adaptor plate entry port corresponding to said entry port of said reactor housing and having an adaptor plate exit port corresponding to said exit port of said reactor housing. 
   
   
       111 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said system is configured to be reloaded with radioisotope solution more than two times, wherein each of said reloadings employs a radioisotope solution comprising about 1 to about 50 Curies of radioisotope. 
   
   
       112 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said system is configured to be reloaded with radioisotope solution more than four times, wherein each of said reloadings employs a radioisotope solution comprising about 1 to about 50 Curies of radioisotope. 
   
   
       113 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said system is configured to be reloaded with radioisotope solution more than six times, wherein each of said reloadings employs a radioisotope solution comprising about 1 to about 50 Curies of radioisotope. 
   
   
       114 . The system according to  claim 34  wherein said system is configured such that the collection vessel is disposed substantially above the chromatographic column when positioned external to said reactor housing.