The Tuned Pipeline - A Link between Small Accelerators and Nuclear Medical Needs

Short-lived radioactive gases are produced in thick high pressure gas targets for ultimate use as medical imaging agents. Small Teflon capillaries have been used to span the 500 m distance between a Van de Graaff accelerator and a nuclear medicine department. Theoretical calculations model the gas flow through these capillaries for the tuned condition of highest specific activity at 1 atmosphere output pressure. These results compare favorably with experimental data and provide the foundation for a pipeline to a new hospital facility 3000 m away.