Optimization of the production of non-conventional high specific activity radionuclides for medicine

The use of radionuclides plays a crucial role in Nuclear Medicine in the areas of diagnostics, of metabolic radiotherapy and of theranostics. To produce each non-conventional radionuclide it is necessary to point out a protocol that provides the optimization of production with high specific activity of the radionuclide of interest, typically through the use of charged-particle accelerators, the development of appropriate radiochemical separations and of a strict quality control system of the product obtained. We will present the case of Zr-89, one of the most promising radionuclide for labelling monoclonal antibodies, bio-distribution studies and immuno-PET imaging.