Radioactive nuclei for medical applications

The radioisotopes used for labeling the diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals are contemporaneously produced using neutrons in reactors and light charged particles from accelerators (cyclotrons). After the presentation of both methods the commercially available cyclotrons are reviewed. Some examples of the most popular medical radioisotopes are given. The new Radiopharmaceuticals Production and Research Centre at the University of Warsaw is presented.