``Evaluation of Molybdenum Content in ⁹⁹Mo/^99mTc Generators Eluate''

Authors

• Sunnia Shafiq, Department of Medical Physics, Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR), QuettaFollow
• Hafiz Khush Naseeb Ahmad, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR), Quetta
• Hina Manzoor, Department of Medical Physics, Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR), Quetta
• SadiqUllah SadiqUllah, Department of Medical Physics, Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR), Quetta
• Hashir Saeed, Department of Medical Physics, Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR), Quetta
• Muhammad Sadiq, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR), Quetta
• Shehla Iftikhar, Department of Radiology, Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR), Quetta

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to assess the reliability and purity of technetium-99m (^99mTc) generators produced by the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH), known as PAKGEN, by evaluating the molybdenum (⁹⁹Mo) breakthrough levels over five years. Maintaining low ⁹⁹Mo levels is crucial for patient safety and high-quality diagnostic imaging in nuclear medicine. Methods: 189 PAKGEN ^99m Tc generators were tested at the Centre for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR) in Quetta, Pakistan, from December 2019 to December 2023. Each generator was eluated daily from Monday to Saturday, and the molybdenum content in the elution was measured using the dose calibrator Capintec CRC-55t. The results were compared to the limits set by the European and American Pharmacopeias, which allow 1 μ Ci and 0.15 μ Ci of ⁹⁹Mo per mCi of ^99m Tc, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using Origin software. Results: The molybdenum content in all tested generators remained well below the pharmacopeia limits throughout the study period. None of the 189 PAKGEN generators tested showed Mo breakthrough levels exceeding the American Pharmacopeia limit of 0.15 μ Ci/mCi or the European Pharmacopeia limit of 1.0 μ Ci/mCi. The consistently low levels of Mo contamination highlight the reliability of PAKGEN generators in maintaining high purity standards. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that PAKGEN ^99mTc generators produced by PINSTECH reliably maintain molybdenum breakthrough levels within safe limits, as the European and American Pharmacopeias define. This ensures high-quality diagnostic imaging and patient safety, underscoring the importance of stringent quality control measures in producing ^99mTc generators. These findings are particularly significant for medical institutions in regions with limited access to advanced technologies, such as CENAR in Quetta, Pakistan.

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Recommended Citation

Shafiq, Sunnia; Ahmad, Hafiz Khush Naseeb; Manzoor, Hina; SadiqUllah, SadiqUllah; Saeed, Hashir; Sadiq, Muhammad; and Iftikhar, Shehla (2026) "``Evaluation of Molybdenum Content in ⁹⁹Mo/^99mTc Generators Eluate''," Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Engineering Sciences: Vol. 36: Iss. 1, Article 1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64064/1658-4260.1018

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.