Marking Process of Molecules for the Health Sector Using a Hot Cell

Radioisotopes Production Plant of Nuclear Center of Mexico (ININ) prepares weekly radiopharmaceuticals such as sodium iodohippurate and metaiodobenzylguanidine, these compounds are called labeled molecules.

The processes for the preparation of these compounds are carried out individually, that is, a different marking process is applied for each compound, and they are carried out in a glove box. Due to the way these processes operate, they present radiological safety risks, difficulty in manipulating each process because they are carried out manually, that is, the operator of the process manually introduces the radioactive material, non-radioactive chemical compounds and the material of laboratory such as lead shielding disposable syringes, vials containing reagents and other devices, that is, there is no device to replace the operator's hands such as manipulators, pistons or vacuum systems that can automate processes to a certain extent.

To improve these drawbacks, this work shows a semi-automated equipment, in which the preparation of the preparation processes of the three compounds can be carried out, that is, in the same equipment the sodium iodohippurate and metaiodobenzylguanidine are obtained, also that the equipment is in a hot cell in order to minimize radiation safety risks. The team will work in a semi-automated way, so that there is a minimum exposure to radiation directly, by the personnel in charge of labeling molecules.

The routine industrial production with this equipment begins with the fabrication of 9 marked doses of sodium iodohippurate of 2.73 mCi of iodine-131, each vial comprising 4.5 mL of saline solution, and a product containing the indicated molecules of 0.5 mL with a marked percentage of 95.6%. This study is innovative in that it presents a new design of equipment for identifying molecules, which is comprised of electrical, mechanical, vacuum, and air extraction systems.