ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with theoretical and practical aspects of radionuclide production for diagnosis and therapy in nuclear medicine. Nuclear reactions and related parameters such as binding energy, Q-value, and reaction cross section are explained as well as their relation to the yield of radionuclides. The two main devices for radionuclide production, the nuclear reactor and the particle accelerator, and their role in production of suitable medical radionuclides are described in some detail. The radiochemistry of the irradiated target and different separation methods are discussed briefly as well as practical aspects of the targetry to optimize production, both in activity and in quality. This includes the choice of nuclear reaction and target material as well as chemical separation method to obtain a product with high specific activity suitable for labelling. The increasing use of PET diagnosis with its demands of an in-house production of radionuclides is especially discussed. Also, the use of generator systems is briefly mentioned. Some radiation protection aspects are also briefly mentioned.
