Integrated strontium-rubidium radioisotope infusion systems

Abstract

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.

1 . An infusion system on-board a cart comprising:
 a first shielding compartment having a first opening facing vertically upwardly through which a strontium-rubidium radioisotope generator can be inserted into and removed from the first shielding compartment;   a first door configured to provide access to the first shielding compartment and to close over the first opening;   a second shielding compartment having a second opening facing vertically upwardly through which the waste bottle can be inserted into and removed from the second shielding compartment;   wherein the first opening is located at a lower elevation than the second opening;   a radioactivity detector positioned to measure radioactivity of a rubidium radioactive eluate flowing through an eluate tubing line in fluid communication with an outlet tubing port of the strontium-rubidium radioisotope generator;   a computer configured to receive an input from a user for controlling operation of the infusion system;   a shielded well configured to receive an eluate reservoir, wherein the eluate reservoir is configured to receive a test sample; and   wherein the computer of the infusion system is configured to:
 pump saline from a saline reservoir into the strontium-rubidium radioisotope generator through an inlet tubing port of the strontium-rubidium radioisotope generator thereby generating the rubidium radioactive eluate that is discharged through the outlet tubing port, 
 fill the eluate reservoir in the shielded well with the test sample, and 
 determine a strontium breakthrough test result on the test sample filled into the eluate reservoir in the shielded well while the eluate reservoir remains in the shielded well.