# US 2008/0187489 A1 · Generator and Method for Production of Technetium-99m > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0187489 A1 - Document ID: US20080187489A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/665,186 - Filed: 2005-10-06 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2004-10-12 - Assignees: McMaster University - Inventors: Richard Tomlison; Bruce Collier; Alan Guest - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187489A1 ## CPC - C01G 99/006: {Compounds containing a metal not provided for elsewhere in this subclass, with or without oxygen or hydrogen, and containing two or more other elements (C01G99/003 takes precedence)} - G21G 1/00: Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes (separation of different isotopes of the same element B01D59/00) - G21G 4/08: specially adapted for medical application (radiation therapy using radioactive sources A61N5/10) - C01P 2006/80: Compositional purity - C01P 2006/88: Isotope composition differing from the natural occurrence - C01G: COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C01D OR C01F (metal hydrides {monoborane, diborane or addition complexes thereof} C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts or peroxyacids C01B15/00; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium, or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; {compounds containing nitrogen, other non-metals and metal C01B21/082}; metal amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; {compounds of noble gases C01B23/0005}; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; compounds having molecular sieve properties but not having base-exchange properties C01B37/00; compounds having molecular sieve and base-exchange properties, e.g. crystalline zeolites, C01B39/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20) - G21G: CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES (applications of radiation in general G21H5/00; handling particles, e.g. neutrons, or electromagnetic radiation not otherwise provided for G21K) - C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS ## Abstract A generator that allows for a non-fission based method of producing and recovering 99mTc from neutron-irradiated molybdenum. This generator system is based on the isolation of 99mTc, as the decay product from a source of 99Mo labelled molybdenum carbonyl Mo(CO)6 through a distillation process. The 99mTc obtained from this distillation is produced with high efficiency and purity in a solvent-free form, which can then be dissolved in water or other solvents to produce a solution at the required specific activity and concentration, as reasonably determined by the operator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of generating a technetium-99m isotope from a source of labelled molybdenum carbonyl Mo(CO)6 having a predetermined amount of molybdenum-99 isotope in which: the labelled molybdenum carbonyl is introduced into a first vessel for containing labelled molybdenum carbonyl and allowed to decay for a pre-determined period of time; the first vessel is heated after said pre-determined period of time to distil labelled molybdenum carbonyl into a second vessel for containing labelled molybdenum carbonyl; and the technetium-99m isotope remaining in the first vessel after distillation is recovered from the first vessel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which labelled molybdenum carbonyl contained in the second vessel is allowed to decay for a pre-determined period of time, the second vessel is heated after said pre-determined period of time to distil labelled molybdenum carbonyl into the first vessel, and the technetium-99m isotope remaining in the second vessel after distillation is recovered from the second vessel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the labelled molybdenum carbonyl is introduced into the first vessel for containing labelled molybdenum carbonyl through distillation from a supply vessel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the labelled molybdenum carbonyl is introduced into the first vessel for containing labelled molybdenum carbonyl through distillation from the second vessel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the first vessel is cooled prior to introducing the labelled molybdenum carbonyl into the first vessel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5 in which the first vessel is cooled to at least 0° C. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6 in which the first vessel is cooled to approximately 10° C. below zero. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 in which the first vessel is heated to a temperature of at least 100° C. for distillation of the labelled molybdenum carbonyl into the second vessel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 for generating a technetium-99m isotope solution in which the technetium-99 isotope remaining in the first vessel is recovered by introducing a solvent into the first vessel to dissolve the technetium-99m isotope and removing the resulting technetium-99m isotope solution from the first vessel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8 in which the solvent is an aqueous medium adapted for intravenous injection into the human body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9 in which the solvent is an aqueous medium containing a precursor to form a radiopharmaceutical. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9 in which the first vessel is heated in a lower portion thereof to allow the solvent to reflux in the first vessel and collect the technetium-99m in said lower portion of the first vessel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9 in which the volume of solvent introduced into the first vessel is selected so that the specific activity of the resulting technetium-99m isotope solution will be suitable for an end user. ### Claim 14 Generator for producing a technetium-99m isotope from a source of labelled molybdenum carbonyl Mo(CO)6 having a first containment vessel in fluid communication with a second containment vessel having first valve means for controlling flow therebetween; second valve means for coupling the first and second containment vessels to a vacuum pump; inlet means for introducing labelled molybdenum carbonyl into said first and second containment vessels; outlet means for recovering technetium-99m from said first and second containment vessels; and heating and cooling means for controlling the temperature of said first and second containment vessels. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) Generator according to claim 14 in which said first and second containment vessels are shielded to minimise radiation exposure to users. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) Generator according to claim 14 in which each said first and second containment vessels has heating and cooling means adapted to perform any one of the following: heat the entire containment vessel, cool the entire containment vessel, and simultaneously heat and cool the containment vessel in discrete portions thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) Generator according to claim 14 in which each said first and second containment vessels is disposed in a respective envelope having a horizontally oriented partition to separate a heating zone from a cooling zone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) Generator according to claim 17 in which the partition is insulated.