Systems and methods for sterilizing sealed radionuclide generator column assemblies

A method of sterilizing a column assembly within a sterilization chamber of a sterilizer, the column assembly including a column having an interior containing a retaining media and a parent radionuclide retained by the retaining media, an inlet port in fluid communication with the interior of the column, and an outlet port in fluid communication with the interior of the column, the method comprising:

• sealing at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port to form a sealed column assembly such that fluid communication with the column interior through both the inlet port and the outlet port is prevented;
• sterilizing the sealed column assembly, by exposure to a steam-air mixture including steam and compressed air, to form a terminally-sterilized column assembly;
• and
• controlling the rate at which compressed air is introduced into the sterilization chamber to maintain a partial pressure within the sterilization chamber substantially equal to a partial pressure within the sealed column assembly.