OCTOPUS

1.  Automated system for processing ¹⁷⁷Lu

• Device processes automatically the neutron-irradiated, ¹⁷⁶Lu-enriched targets. The processing covers dissolving the target, evaporation into dryness and re-dissolving the residual in an appropriate solvent in order to obtain ¹⁷⁷Lu solution for radiolabelling. Moreover, Octopus can be used for simple labelling with ¹⁷⁷Lu. The device offers dispensing of the product, too.

2.  Newly designed hybrid ampoules

• The disposable, leak-proof ampoule designed for reactor target irradiation consists of external aluminium alloy cover and inner quartz insert for placing an irradiated sample.
• The ampoule is water-proof and vacuum-leak proof (tested for He leak, the leakage ranges 1–2×10−9 mbar.l.s−1).

• The device consists of: peristaltic pump, 9/10 selector, handling device for loading, screwing, unscrewing, dissolving and evaporating unit (heating up to 150 °C).
• Horizontal working desk equipped with the three PEEK solenoid valves.
• Formulation reactor provided with a GM-tube for activity measurement and with heating and cooling unit.
• Three inlets for stock solution and one inlet for large volume stock (mobile phase, washing phase), one vial for collecting of the enriched material or for reserved volume and one vial for collecting the final product.
• System allows for fully automated operation starting from preparation of the sample before an irradiation and its complete processing after the irradiation.
• Screwing moment is optimized to tighten the ampoule properly (vacuum tightness).

HW is designed as a robust and highly reliable for routine operation, i.e. as fully independent on a host PC. The system is driven by a PLC and I/O cards connected to the host PC via an Ethernet cable. In emergency case, the PLC unit operates as a stand-alone unit, increasing thus the operation safety. SW is intuitive and employs simple graphic GUI offering quick and comfort control. The sequences can be easily created via an implemented script language DWScript.

Nearly all the parts of the system can be modified according to the particular requirements of a customer.