Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A column assembly of a radionuclide generator, comprising:a column having an interior containing a medium for retaining a long-lived parent radionuclide that produces a relatively short-lived daughter radionuclide;an inlet port in fluid communication with the interior of the column; andan outlet port in fluid communication with the interior of the column;wherein the column assembly includes a vent opening that provides fluid access to the interior of the column via the outlet port, the vent opening oriented to face downwardly when the column is positioned below the outlet port during sterilization to prevent condensate from entering the vent opening from above. 2. The column assembly of claim 1, further comprising:an outlet cover that at least partially covers the outlet port and that at least partially defines the vent opening. 3. The column assembly of claim 2, wherein the outlet port includes a needle structure and the outlet cover includes a pierceable membrane that receives the needle structure of the outlet port. 4. The column assembly of claim 2, wherein the outlet cover includes a body portion and a removable cap. 5. The column assembly of claim 4, wherein the vent opening is defined as an annular space between the removable cap and the body portion. 6. The column assembly of claim 4, further comprising:a filter in the outlet cover. 7. The column assembly of claim 6, wherein the filter is bacteria retentive. 8. The column assembly of claim 6, wherein the filter is positioned at the vent opening. 9. The column assembly of claim 1, further comprising:a filter positioned between and in fluid communication with the outlet port and the column. 10. The column assembly of claim 1, wherein the inlet port is accessible from outside of a shielded package that receives the column assembly, when the column is inside of the shielded package. 11. The column assembly of claim 10, in combination with the shielded package. 12. The column assembly of claim 1, further comprising:a plug removably attached to the inlet port to block fluid communication to the inlet port from an atmosphere outside of the column assembly. 13. The column assembly of claim 1, wherein the medium includes alumina. 14. The column assembly of claim 1, in combination with the long-lived parent radionuclide and the relatively short-lived daughter radionuclide. 15. The combination of claim 14, wherein the long-lived parent radionuclide includes molybdenum-99 and the relatively short-lived daughter radionuclide includes technetium-99m. 16. A method of producing a terminally sterile column assembly of a radionuclide generator, comprising:providing a column assembly of a radionuclide generator that includes:a column having a long-lived parent radionuclide that produces a relatively short-lived daughter radionuclide;an inlet port in fluid communication with the column; andan outlet port in fluid communication with the column, the outlet port includes a vent opening that provides fluid access to the column;positioning the column assembly in an orientation with the vent opening facing downwardly to prevent condensate from entering the vent opening from above; andexposing the column assembly to steam for sterilization. 17. A column assembly of a radionuclide generator, comprising:a column and an outlet port, the column including a medium for retaining a long-lived parent radionuclide that produces a relatively short-lived daughter radionuclide, the outlet port in fluid communication with the column and covered with a vented outlet cover to provide a terminally sterilizable column assembly, the vented outlet cover having a vent opening that provides fluid access to the column and that prevents the ingress of gravity-driven liquid to produce a column assembly that consistently exhibits high yield. 18. A column assembly of a radionuclide generator, comprising:a column and an outlet port, the column including a medium for retaining a long-lived parent radionuclide that produces a relatively short-lived daughter radionuclide, the outlet port in fluid communication with the column and covered with a vented outlet cover to provide a terminally sterilizable column assembly, wherein means are provided to prevent the ingress of gravity-driven liquid to produce a column assembly that consistently exhibits high yield and that prevents migration of parent radionuclide away from the column. 19. A column assembly of a radionuclide generator, comprising:a column and an outlet port, the column including a medium for retaining a long-lived parent radionuclide that produces a relatively short-lived daughter radionuclide, the outlet port in fluid communication with the column and a means that allows for an exchange of steam while reliably preventing excess liquid from being introduced to portions of the column assembly during sterilization. 20. A column assembly of a radionuclide generator, comprising:a column and an outlet port, the column including a medium for retaining a long-lived parent radionuclide that produces a relatively short-lived daughter radionuclide, the outlet port in fluid communication with the column and covered with a vented outlet cover to provide a terminally sterilizable column assembly, the vented outlet cover having a vent opening that provides fluid access to the column and that prevents the ingress of gravity-driven liquid to produce a column assembly that prevents migration of parent radionuclide away from the column.