Research Progress on Major Medical Radionuclide Generators

As the concept of integrated diagnosis and treatment gains increasing prominence, the utilization of radiopharmaceuticals in personalized medicine has garnered unprecedented attention. However, the production of these radiopharmaceuticals continues to encounter numerous technical challenges. It plays an important role in improving the efficiency and convenience of nuclear medicine services and can quickly and conveniently provide the required radioactive isotopes to meet the needs of integrated clinical diagnosis and treatment while reducing dependence on external supplies and improving safety and the economy. At present, commonly used medical radioactive isotope generators include 99Mo/99mTc, 68Ge/68Ga, 90Sr/90Y, 188W/188Re, etc. This article reviews the latest research progress on three main medical radioactive isotope generators of 99Mo/99mTc, 68Ge/68Ga, and 90Sr/90Y. It also evaluates the highly anticipated new 44Ti/44Sc generator and proposes research prospects for current medical radioactive isotope generators, providing exploration directions for the future development of nuclear medicine.