ALCEO Solid Target Processing System

The complete ALCEO configurations (ALCEO FULL) feature a single PTS (pneumatic transfer system) and Cooling System unit: the transport of the target to the corresponding module is performed via a target switch.
The radionuclides produced are available in a form suitable for radiopharmaceutical synthesis.
The integrated system allows all the operations to be carried out without the manual intervention of operators.
The ALCEO system is designed for the application of commercial cyclotrons with energy ranging between 5 and 30 Mev.

ALCEO HALOGEN ¹²³I, ¹²⁴I – Solid target processing system

It allows the irradiation of a Tellurium oxide deposit ¹²⁴Te and ¹²³Te to obtain the equivalent radionuclide ¹²⁴I and ¹²³I.

It consists of a module for the production of ¹²⁴I and ¹²³I (mixed process) and one single PTS.

TGT ¹²⁴I – Target Shuttle

The target is the component which is directly irradiated by the cyclotron beam: it is an enriched metal isotope (¹²³Te and ¹²⁴Te) which produces the positron emitter (¹²³I and ¹²⁴I) after the bombardment.

PTS – Irradiation unit

The irradiation unit is directly connected to the cyclotron and guarantees the correct positioning of the target in front of the beam port. Target positioning is fully automated. The unit is connected to its own “water and helium cooling system”. The cooling system is connected to the cyclotron cold water and helium circuit, as a normal liquid target.

EVP – Iodine Evaporation/Purification unit

The unit can be placed inside a hot cell and must be connected to the PTS unit with the target transfer tube. The EVP module contains the necessary components for the following operations:

• automatic transfer of the target shuttles between the hot cell and the cyclotron
• plating of the target (tellurium dioxide) on the target shuttle
• evaporation of the iodine radioisotope from the irradiated target.

The purification task makes use of a “disposable cassette”, in order to avoid the module contamination. Comecer supplies the cassette, while the preparation of the required synthesis reagents is the customer’s responsibility.

ALCEO METAL ⁶⁴Cu, ⁸⁹Zr AND ⁶⁸Ga – Solid target processing system

It consists of one single PTS and two modules (a Dissolution/Transfer unit and a Purification unit) for the production of metal radioisotopes. The Dissolution/Transfer unit can be provided with several accessories such as the setup for Ni Plating and Cu Dissolution; Zn Plating and Ga Dissolution, Zr Dissolution. The modular configuration allows the simple upgrade for the production of the other metal radioisotopes (⁶⁴Cu, ⁸⁹Zr, ⁶⁸Ga). In the fully accessorised configuration, it allows the irradiation of:

• a Nickel layer (plating) ⁶⁴Ni aimed at obtaining radionuclide ⁶⁴Cu
• a Yttrium natural foil ⁸⁹Y aimed at obtaining radionuclide ⁸⁹Zr
• a Zinc layer (plating) ⁶⁸Zn aimed at obtaining radionuclide ⁶⁸Ga

Metal Target Shuttle

The Alceo Metal target shuttle allows the automatic positioning of the metal isotope in front of the cyclotron beam.

PTS – Irradiation unit

The irradiation unit is directly connected to the cyclotron and guarantees the correct positioning of the target in front of the beam port. Target positioning is fully automated. The unit is connected to its own “water and helium cooling system”.

EDS – Electrochemical/Dissolution/Transfer/Storage unit

It can be placed inside a hot cell which is connected to the cyclotron by a flexible tube for the target transfer. It is a pneumatic system that automatically carries out the following operations:

• automatic transfer of the targets between the hot cell and the cyclotron
• electrochemical deposition of the enriched metal isotope on the shuttle platinum well (specific accessory)
• dissolution of the irradiated isotope (specific accessory)
• storage of target shuttles.

TADDEO-PRF – Purification module

It can be placed inside a hot cell and must be connected to the Dissolution/Transfer unit by capillary lines. The Purification module contains the necessary components for the purification by ion chromatography of the produced radioisotope (⁶⁴Cu, ⁸⁹Zr, ⁶⁸Ga). The module is based on disposable cassettes.

ALCEO RETROFIT – ⁶⁴Cu, ⁸⁹Zr and ⁶⁸Ga production for laboratories without solid target presetting

ALCEO METAL RETROFIT is the best solution for a pre-existing laboratory, where hot cells and trenches for capillary passage do not possess the requirements for proper installation of the ALCEO METAL.

ALCEO METAL RETROFIT is based on ‘accessories’ as the standard Alceo Metal, but the dissolution and purification phases are separated in distinct areas. In this configuration, connection between the two areas consists of a single fluid transfer capillary and not of a complex pneumatic transfer system of the target using corrugated pipe. In the fully accessorised configuration, it allows the production of ⁶⁴Cu, ⁸⁹Zr, ⁶⁸Ga.