title: A solvent-extraction module for cyclotron production of high-purity technetium-99m.
abstract: The design and fabrication of a fully-automated, remotely controlled module for the extraction and purification of technetium-99m (Tc-99m), produced by proton bombardment of enriched Mo-100 molybdenum metallic targets in a low-energy medical cyclotron, is here described. After dissolution of the irradiated solid target in hydrogen peroxide, Tc-99m was obtained under the chemical form of99mTcO4-, in high radionuclidic and radiochemical purity, by solvent extraction with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). The extraction process was accomplished inside a glass column-shaped vial especially designed to allow for an easy automation of the whole procedure. Recovery yields were always >90% of the loaded activity. The final pertechnetate saline solution Na99mTcO4, purified using the automated module here described, is within the Pharmacopoeia quality control parameters and is therefore a valid alternative to generator-produced99mTc. The resulting automated module is cost-effective and easily replicable for in-house production of high-purity Tc-99m by cyclotrons.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy; Legnaro National Laboratories, Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNL-INFN), Italy. Electronic address: petra.martini@unife.it.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy. Electronic address: alessandra.boschi@unife.it.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boschi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, St. Orsola Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cicoria
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uccelli
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Micòl
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasquali
authors.affiliation: Legnaro National Laboratories, Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNL-INFN), Italy; Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duatti
authors.affiliation: Legnaro National Laboratories, Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNL-INFN), Italy.
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pupillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, St. Orsola Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marengo
authors.affiliation: Legnaro National Laboratories, Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNL-INFN), Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loriggiola
authors.affiliation: Legnaro National Laboratories, Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNL-INFN), Italy.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esposito
keywords: Automated module; Cyclotrons; Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK); Molybdenum-100; Pertechnetate; Solvent extraction; Technetium-99m