How to automate the safe production of 64Cu, 89Zr, 124I and 123I radioisotopes

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Do you need to produce ⁶⁴Cu, ⁸⁹Zr, ¹²⁴I, ¹²³I radioisotopes in safety conditions and in a fully automated way?

The ALCEO series is an integrated system designed for the production of radioisotopes through the irradiation of a solid target.

The series consists of a family of machines configurable according to various parameters, such as:

• the type of isotope
• the specific isotopes to be produced
• use of “disposable cassette”
• upgrade possibility
• the type of process chosen for the production of several isotopes: Mixed or Separated (Mixed: several production processes are carried out from the same configuration; Separated: each production process has its specific configuration)

The radioisotopes that can be produced are ⁶⁴Cu, ⁸⁹Zr, ¹²⁴I, ¹²³I.

Do you want to avoid cross-contamination?

The disposable-cassette operating mode allows you to separate the isotopes produced on both the ALCEO module side and on the front of the shielded compartments in which they are installed. In this operating mode, the risk of cross-contamination is fully removed, regardless of the operating procedures applied.

Do you want a flexible and independent target irradiation unit?

The ALCEO system is designed for commercial cyclotrons with energy ranging between 5 and 30 Mev. The target irradiation unit can be installed on different configurations: unshielded cyclotron, self-shielded cyclotron and external beam line.

In addition, ALCEO has an independent cooling system that provides target cooling during irradiation.

This is obtained using:

• water recirculation in the lower cavity of the target shuttle
• helium flow in the front part of the shuttle.

The primary helium and the cooling water are cooled during the bombardment by a secondary system.

Are you considering other alternatives?

Alternative systems are usually composed of a cyclotron, cells, and modules.
These offer many disadvantages:

• Target positioning in the cyclotron happens inside the bunker, and after irradiation the target is recovered by entering the bunker and positioning it manually inside the cell.
• Many of the operations that must be performed during the process are manual, using gloves or with tele-pliers, with substantially less operator comfort.
• Different systems must be used to produce different radioisotopes, so as not to risk cross-contamination.

The Comecer Solution

The complete ALCEO configuration, called ALCEO FULL, features a single PTS unit and a 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 manual operator intervention.

The BBS family of cells is particularly suited to host ALCEO integrated systems. It is advisable to always consider the configurations with 100mm Pb shielding.

Advantages of the Comecer ALCEO compared to alternatives

• FULLY AUTOMATED PROCESSES: every step of the process is handled automatically (target preparation, target delivery, irradiation, target recovery, dissolution and purification)
• PRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT RADIOISOTOPES WITH A SINGLE SYSTEM
• DISPOSABLE CASSETTE: avoids cross-contamination
• MULTI-RUN APPROACH
• LESS OPERATOR EXPOSURE TO RADIATION

Learn more about the ALCEO Solid Target Processing System >>

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