Generators Flashcards
What are Radionuclide Generator systems used for?
To generate radionuclides for routine clinical practice.
What is the most widely used generator system?
Molybdenum (Mo-99) / Technetium (Tc-99m) generator.
What is the half-life of Mo-99?
67 hours.
What is the half-life of Tc-99m?
6 hours.
What type of imaging relies on the Mo-99/Tc-99m generator?
SPECT imaging.
What is the half-life of Rb-82?
2 minutes.
What generator produces krypton (Kr-81m) for ventilation studies?
Rb-81/Kr-81m generator.
What is the half-life of Kr-81m?
13 seconds.
What is a characteristic of the Sn-113/In-113m generator?
Parent half-life: 115 days; Daughter half-life: 1.7 minutes.
What is the half-life of Ge-68?
280 days.
What is the half-life of Ga-68?
68 minutes.
What is the half-life of Zn-62?
9.3 hours.
What is the half-life of Cu-62?
9.8 minutes.
What is the half-life of Sr-82?
25 days.
What is the half-life of Rb-82?
1.3 minutes.
What is the typical useful life of a Mo-99/Tc-99m generator?
About 3 half-lives or approximately one week.
What is meant by ‘milking’ the generator?
Removing the daughter nuclide from the generator.
How often should the daughter nuclide be removed from a Mo-99/Tc-99m generator?
Every 6 hours, twice daily or once daily.
What are the general characteristics of a radionuclide generator?
Parent has long half-life; daughter has short half-life; different chemical properties.
What materials are used in the construction of a generator?
- Glass/Plastic tube
- Chromatography column
- Lead shield/pack
- Source of eluent
- Evacuation vials.
What is the decay constant?
A factor used in calculating the activity of radionuclides.
What is transient equilibrium?
Condition when the activity of the daughter nuclide reaches a maximum as the parent decays.
True or False: Transient equilibrium occurs when the half-life of the parent is less than that of the daughter.
False.
What is the significance of the ideal generator?
Sterile & pyrogen-free eluate; no violent chemical reactions; room temperature storage.
What is the short half-life of Technetium-99m?
6 hours.
What is the primary method used to elute Tc-99m from the generator?
Using normal saline through the column.
What is the role of alumina in the Mo-99/Tc-99m generator?
It serves as the adsorbent for Mo-99.
What is the activity of Tc-99m in relation to Mo-99?
Tc-99m is produced from the decay of Mo-99.
What does the term ‘elution profile’ refer to?
The activity of radionuclides over time after elution.
What is the importance of radionuclide generators?
They are easily transportable sources of short-lived radionuclides.
Fill in the blank: The half-life of Rb-81 is _______.
4.7 hours.
