Process and apparatus for making radioactive labeled protein material

Claim 2

The reaction system as defined in claim 1, in which said container is comprised of glass and is formed with a neck in the upper portion thereof defining said aperture in which said pierceable closure is disposed in sealing relationship, said pair of electrodes extending downwardly in spaced piercing relationship through said closure to a position spaced upwardly from the bottom wall of said container.

Claim 3

The reaction system as defined in claim 1, further including coacting means on said vial for facilitating connection of said electrodes to the proper polarity of electric current.

Claim 4

A process for preparing a sterile, non-pyrogenic aqueous mixture containing a compound tagged with a radioactive isotope which comprises the steps of preparing a closed sterile non-pyrogenic reaction chamber having a pair of electrodes therein of which one is comprised of a metal selected from the group consisting of zirconium, iron and alloys thereof, introducing a sterile non-pyrogenic aqueous mixture into said reaction chamber which contains a radioactive material and a protein compound at a controlled pH, immersing said electrodes in said aqueous mixture and passing an electric current between said electrodes to effect ionization and solution of a portion of said one electrode and an absorption of at least a portion of said radioactive isotope on said compound, continuing the passage of electric current until at least a portion of said compound has become electrolytically tagged with said radioactive material providing therewith an aqueous sterile non-pyrogenic mixture containing an electrolytically tagged compound suitable for use in biological studies.

Claim 5

The process as defined in claim 5, in which the pH of said aqueous mixture is controlled within a range of about 1 to about 1.3 during the passage of electric current.

Claim 6

The process as defined in claim 5, in which said radioactive material comprises the pertechnetate ion technetium-99m.

Claim 7

The process as defined in claim 5, in which said compound comprises a solution of human serum albumin.

Claim 8

The process as defined in claim 5, in which said compound comprises particles of aggregated human serum albumin.

Claim 9

Th process as defined in claim 5, including the further step of introducing a sterile non-pyrogenic aqueous alkaline solution into said reaction vial at the completion of said electrolytic tagging to adjust the pH to a level of about 7.4.

Claim 10

The process as defined in claim 5, including the further step of extracting the resultant sterile non-pyrogenic aqueous mixture containing the electrolytically tagged compound from said reaction chamber with a sterile hypodermic syringe.

Claim 11

The process as defined in claim 5, including the further step of extracting the resultant sterile non-pyrogenic aqueous mixture containing the electrolytically tagged compound from said reaction chamber and passing it through a bacterial filter prior to use.

Claim 12

The reaction system as defined in claim 1 wherein said radioactive material comprises the pertechnetate ion technetium-99m.

Claim 13

The reaction system as defined in claim 1, in which said protein compound comprises a solution of human serum albumin.