In Vivo Radionuclide Generators for Diagnostics and Therapy

In vivo radionuclide generators make complex combinations of physical and chemical properties available for medical diagnostics and therapy. Perhaps the best-known in vivo generator is ²¹²Pb/²¹²Bi, which takes advantage of the extended half-life of ²¹²Pb to execute a targeted delivery of the therapeutic short-lived α-emitter ²¹²Bi. Often, as in the case of ⁸¹Rb/⁸¹Kr, chemical changes resulting from the transmutation of the parent are relied upon for diagnostic value. In other instances such as with extended alpha decay chains, chemical changes may lead to unwanted consequences. This article reviews some common and not-so-common in vivo generators with the purpose of understanding their value in medicine and medical research. This is currently relevant in light of a recent push for alpha emitters in targeted therapies, which often come with extended decay chains.