Systems and methods for sterilizing sealed radionuclide generator column assemblies

1. A method of sterilizing a column assembly within a sterilization chamber of a sterilizer, the column assembly including a column having an interior containing a retaining media and a parent radionuclide retained by the retaining media, an inlet port in fluid communication with the interior of the column, and an outlet port in fluid communication with the interior of the column, the method comprising:

sealing at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port to form a sealed column assembly such that fluid communication with the column interior through both the inlet port and the outlet port is prevented;

sterilizing the sealed column assembly, by exposure to a steam-air mixture including steam and compressed air, to form a terminally-sterilized column assembly; and

controlling the rate at which compressed air is introduced into the sterilization chamber to maintain a partial pressure within the sterilization chamber substantially equal to a partial pressure within the sealed column assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein sealing at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port includes covering the outlet port with an elastomeric cap, and wherein sterilizing the sealed column assembly sterilizes an exterior surface of the outlet port that is covered by the elastomeric cap.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing the sealed column assembly to the steam-air mixture includes exposing the sealed column assembly to the steam-air mixture for at least 25 minutes.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein sterilizing the sealed column assembly includes:

positioning the sealed column assembly in the sterilization chamber;

heating the sterilization chamber to an exposure temperature of between 120° C. and 130° C.;

pressurizing the sterilization chamber to an exposure pressure of between 2000 millibars and 4000 millibars;

mixing steam and sterile compressed air within the sterilization chamber to form a steam-air mixture;

exposing the sealed column assembly to the steam-air mixture for at least 25 minutes at the exposure temperature and the exposure pressure; and

controlling the rate at which compressed air is introduced into the sterilization chamber to maintain a partial pressure within the sterilization chamber substantially equal to a partial pressure within the sealed column assembly.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the column assembly includes a fill port in fluid communication with the interior of the column, the method further including sealing the fill port to form the sealed column assembly.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein sterilizing the sealed column assembly includes subjecting the sealed column assembly to a sterilization process having an F 0 value of at least 40 minutes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the rate at which compressed air is introduced into the sterilization chamber includes determining suitable set-point pressures to prevent physical deformation of the column assembly during the sterilizing step, monitoring the pressure within the sterilization chamber, wherein the rate at which compressed air is introduced is based on the set-point pressures and the monitored pressure within the sterilization chamber.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein controlling the rate at which compressed air is introduced into the sterilization chamber includes increasing the rate at which compressed air is introduced into the sterilization chamber when the monitored pressure within the sterilization chamber is more than 30 mbar below the set-point pressure, until the monitored pressure is substantially equal to the set-point pressure.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein controlling the rate at which compressed air is introduced into the sterilization chamber includes terminating the flow of compressed air into the sterilization chamber when the monitored pressure within the sterilization chamber is more than 60 mbar above the set-point pressure.

10. A method comprising:

providing a sealed radionuclide generator column assembly including a column having an interior containing a retaining media and a parent radionuclide retained by the retaining media, wherein an elution flow path of the sealed column assembly is completely sealed such that fluid flow through the column interior is prevented;

placing the sealed column assembly within a sterilization chamber of a sterilizer;

sterilizing the sealed column assembly, by exposure to a steam-air mixture including steam and compressed air, to produce a terminally-sterilized, sealed column assembly; and

controlling the rate at which compressed air is introduced into the sterilization chamber to maintain a partial pressure within the sterilization chamber substantially equal to a partial pressure within the sealed column assembly.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein exposing the sealed column assembly to the steam-air mixture includes exposing the sealed column assembly to the steam-air mixture for at least 25 minutes.

12. The method of claim 10 further including heating the sterilization chamber to an exposure temperature of between 110° C. and about 130° C., and exposing the sealed column assembly to the steam-air mixture at the exposure temperature.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein providing a sealed radionuclide generator column assembly includes sealing the elution flow path of the column assembly to form the sealed column assembly.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein sealing the elution flow path includes sealing at least one of an inlet port and an outlet port of the column assembly, wherein sealing at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port prevents fluid communication with the column interior though the inlet port and the outlet port.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein sealing at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port includes covering at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port with an elastomeric cap, and wherein sterilizing the sealed column assembly sterilizes an exterior surface of at least one of the inlet port and the outlet port that is covered by the elastomeric cap.