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Eclipse™ Series Technology Advantage
Cyclotrons are circular particle accelerators used for atomic physics research and radioisotope production.
With only one exception, radioisotopes used in Position Emission Tomography (PET) are produced in cyclotrons. Compared to atomic physics accelerators and nuclear reactors, medical cyclotrons are easy to install, operate and maintain.
The production of a PET tracer, like Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), starts with the bombardment of water enriched with the stable element Oxygen-18. The Oxygen-18, when bombarded by protons accelerated by the cyclotron, is converted into positron-emitter Fluorine-18. The Fluorine-18 is extracted from the target and transported to the radiochemistry or synthesis unit to be combined with chemical agents, and finally converted into 18F-FDG.
Siemens holds greater than 40 years of cyclotron development experience, the largest number of systems sold, and is the market leader with the largest share of cyclotron markers.
Siemens has a solid legacy in delivering innovative and ground-breaking solutions in the cyclotron arena, including many firsts in the industry:
- First to introduce a self-shielded cyclotron.
- First to develop a fully automated cyclotron and chemistry modules for PET.
- First to develop a negative ion cyclotron.
- First to develop a proton-only PET cyclotron.
- First to offer Tantalum targets.
- First to offer hexagonal grids.
- First to develop a 4-run chemistry module.
- First to implement a cyclotron used in a commercial distribution facility.
Siemens cyclotrons also contain many innovative features and benefits, including:
Single-Coil Magnet Design
- Magnet coil comprised of single strip of copper sheet.
- Magnet design with 10x reduction in power leads to an overall system power reduction of >50%.
Tantalum Targets
Siemens departed from Silver to Tantalum target bodies in 2002 with great benefits:
- Fewer metal ions in solution
- All detected products are from Havar foil.
- Less than minimum detectable activity in last two purification cartridges and final product.
- Number of runs between rebuilds has increased
- Silver targets typically required rebuilding at 3000 µA-hr week intervals.
- Tantalum targets operate well above 10,000 µA-hr before rebuilds are necessary.
- Beam on target has increased as well
- Silver target was typically operated at 55 µA.
- Tantalum operates at 60 µA comfortably, with room to grow.
- Saturation yield increased 10%, FDG yield increased 10% and standard deviations improved.
Key Benefits
- Reduced cost
- Lower operating expenses
- Enhanced reliability
