PET radiopharmaceutical syntheses controlled by industrial programmable logic controller

The increasing demand for PET agents in addition with the need for a reliable, flexible, low operation cost and user friendly system, has enticed us into developing a complete automated system, controlling the production from target filling or pressurizing to pharmaceutical package. The controlling system is based on an industrial programmable logic controller (Siemens 135 U) and enables different syntheses to be processed at the same time. The same system is used for the PET production with two of IBA's cyclotrons Cyclone 30 (15-30 MeV protons) and Cyclone 10/5 (10 MeV protons, 5 MeV deuterons), but could also be used in combination with every other cyclotron. The only operator interaction necessary with the different chemistry modules, which cover the whole range of routine-used radiopharmaceuticals, consists in replacing the vials from the previous syntheses by vials containing the fresh sterile solutions