Apparatus and Experiments Towards Fully Automated Medical Isotope Production Using an Ion Beam Accelerator

Zirconium-89 (89Zr) is a widely used radionuclide in immune-PET imaging due to its physical decay characteristics. Despite its importance, the production of 89Zr radiopharmaceuticals remains largely manual, with limited cost-effective automation solutions available. To address this, we developed an automated system for the agile and reliable production of radiopharmaceuticals. The system performs transmutations, dissolution, and separation for a range of radioisotopes. Steps in the production of 89Zr-oxalate are used as an exemplar to illustrate its use. Three-dimensional (3D) printing was exploited to design and manufacture a target holder able to include solid targets, in this case an 89Y foil. Spot welding was used to attach 89Y to a refractory tantalum (Ta) substrate. A commercially available CPU chiller was repurposed to efficiently cool the metal target. Furthermore, a commercial resin (ZR Resin) and compact peristaltic pumps were employed in a compact (10 × 10 × 10 cm3) chemical separation unit that operates automatically via computer-controlled software. Additionally, a standalone 3D-printed unit was designed with three automated functionalities: photolabelling, vortex mixing, and controlled heating. All components of the assembly, except for the target holder, are housed inside a commercially available hot cell, ensuring safe and efficient operation in a controlled environment. This paper details the design, construction, and modelling of the entire assembly, emphasising its innovative integration and operational efficiency for widespread radiopharmaceutical automation.