Cyclotron production and quality control of "high specific activity" radionuclides in "no-carrier-added" form for radioanalytical applications in the life sciences

Radionuclides of very high specific activity A(S)(t) have great relevance for applications in the life sciences. Updated definitions of A(S) are given. The real A(S)(t) must be measured by analytical and radioanalytical techniques. No-carrier-added (NCA) radionuclides have A(S)(NCA) sometimes close to the carrier-free (CF) value A(S)(CF). The accurate knowledge of excitation functions of nuclear reactions vs. ion beam energy is mandatory to maximize A(S)(NCA); the minimization of isotopic dilution factor IDF(t) has been achieved too. A range of accelerator production and radioanalytical QC methods for A(S)(NCA) optimization and determination is presented.