Essentials of a rubidium-82 generator for nuclear medicine.

The use of generator-produced 82Rb for positron emission tomography studies in clinical nuclear medicine requires a number of factors to be considered. These include 82Sr availability, methods of recharging the generator with fresh 82Sr, adequate elution yield of 82Rb, low breakthrough of 82-85Sr, simple and reliable operation of the generator, and delivery of a sterile and pyrogen free eluate of 82Rb.