Cyclotron accelerators for the production of medical radionuclides

This chapter summarizes the results of more than 50 years of accelerator technology applied to medicine from the perspective of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. It starts by the introduction of several cyclotrons dedicated to the production of short-lived positron emitter radionuclides either at hospitals or delivery centers followed by the overview of a multipurpose cyclotron able to produce also alpha emitters. Solid targetry, including the latest liquid transfer technology designed to make available metallic radioisotopes to facilities where traditional air shutter transport lines are not a viable solution, and the purification methods applied to the isolation of the desired radionuclide from the target matrix are reviewed. Finally, the evolution of PET drugs synthesizers driven by higher quality requirements are detailed.