Medical cyclotrons, hot cells, and synthesis modules
The particle accelerators and shielded robotic chemistry boxes that make PET tracers in hospital basements and commercial pharmacies.
Compact 11-30 MeV cyclotrons from IBA (Cyclone), GE HealthCare (PETtrace, MINItrace), Siemens (Eclipse), ACSI (TR-24), and Sumitomo produce 18F, 68Ga, 64Cu, and 89Zr; shielded hot cells (Comecer, Von Gahlen, Tema Sinergie) house automated synthesis modules (Trasis AllinOne, IBA Synthera, GE FASTlab, Eckert & Ziegler Modular-Lab, Siemens Explora) that run GMP radiochemistry from cassettes. Solid-target 68Ga production is displacing generators at high-volume sites.
How it works
Proton bombardment of enriched targets produces the isotope; cassette-based automated modules perform labelling, purification, and formulation behind lead shielding with QC before release.
- On-site supply of short-lived isotopes
- Cassette chemistry standardises GMP production
- Capital and shielding cost ($2-5M per site)
- Skilled radiochemists scarce
- Site licensing takes years
Latest papers
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