How often can Rb-82 generators be eluted?

Rubidium-82 generators can typically be eluted every 10 minutes. This is due to the half-life of Rb-82, which is approximately 75 seconds. The high specific activity of Rb-82 allows for the rapid production of the radioisotope intended for PET imaging.

Eluting the generator too frequently, such as every 5 minutes, may not allow for the optimal saturation of the generator with the parent isotope, leading to less efficient extraction. Eluting every 15 or 20 minutes could lead to suboptimal radioactivity levels for imaging and is not considered practical in a clinical setting. Therefore, the 10-minute interval is established as a standard practice to ensure that adequate radioactive material is available for diagnostic procedures while maintaining efficiency and productivity in the imaging department.