Cyclotron Production of No-Carrier-Added Medical Radionuclides

Charged-particle accelerators, particularly cyclotrons, are presently the source of the majority of the radionuclides used for the synthesis of radioactive drugs. These drugs are then used in clinical research and in diagnostic nuclear medicine. The physical properties of the accelerator-made radionuclides (i.e., half life, type and energy of its emissions), the chemical characteristics of their drug formulations (i. e., radiochemical and chemical purities, specific activity and concentration), and their biological properties (i.e., biospecificity, organ distribution, in vivo stability) are significant factors affecting the radioactive drug's quality and effectiveness in the diagnostic procedure. Because of their ultimate application in nuclear medicine, both cyclotron and radiochemical methods used in their production, purification, and formulation must be suited to render a radioactive drug of the highest purity, in terms of radionuclidic, radiochemical, chemical, and biological quality.