[en] A newly-available radioisotopic system, ¹⁷²Hf-¹⁷²Lu, has excellent potential for tracer applications in which nuclear data acquisition must be accomplished in real time. The 6.7-day half-life of ¹⁷²Lu is sufficient for a large fraction of tracer experiments, and should allow the direct incorporation of ¹⁷²Lu into tests that have traditionally utilized much longer-lived radionuclides. Since ¹⁷²Lu is the daughter component of a radioisotope generator, however, its effective shelf-life is determined by the half-life of its 1.9-year ¹⁷²Hf parent. Consequently, the frequency of isotope procurement need not be any more extensive than investigators would normally be accustomed to. Discussion relevant to isotope production, generator operation, and nuclide acquisition is presented in this paper