Production of selenium-72 and arsenic-72
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorDennis R. Phillips
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for producing selenium-72, separating it from its daughter isotope arsenic-72, and generating multiple portions of a solution containing arsenic-72 from a reusable parent substance comprised of selenium-72. The invention provides apparatus which can be located at a site where arsenic-72 is used, for purposes such as PET imaging, to produce arsenic-72 as needed, since the half-life of arsenic-72 is very short.
Claims4
Apparatus for generating multiple portions of a liquid solution containing arsenic-72 from a reusable parent substance comprising:
- a. a reactor having means for heating its contents, means for measuring the temperature of its contents and adjusting said reactor heating means, and means for agitating its contents;
- b. means for separating the contents of said reactor into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction;
- c. means for adding materials to said reactor;
- d. means for transferring said liquid between said reactor and separating means;
- and
- e. radiation shielding means.
Apparatus for generating multiple portions of a liquid solution containing arsenic-72 from a reusable parent substance comprising:
- a. a reactor having means for heating its contents, means for measuring the temperature of its contents and adjusting said reactor heating means, and means for agitating its contents;
- b. means for separating the contents of said reactor into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction;
- c. a reservoir for containing said parent substance;
- d. a receiver having means for heating its contents, means for measuring the temperature of its contents and adjusting said receiver heating means, and means for agitating its contents;
- e. means for adding reagents to said reactor and receiver;
- f. a reservoir for containing waste liquid;
- g. a condenser for preventing vapors from escaping from said reactor and said receiver, which condenser discharges into said waste reservoir;
- h. means for reducing the pressure downstream of said separating means;
- i. radiation shielding means;
- and
- j. means for transferring said liquid between components of said apparatus for generating multiple portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.