Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. 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;exposing the column assembly to steam for sterilization; andpositioning an outlet cover over the outlet port prior to exposing the column assembly to steam for sterilization, the outlet port including the vent opening. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the outlet cover over the outlet port includes positioning an outlet cover that includes a removable cap. 3. 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;exposing the column assembly to steam for sterilization; andplugging the inlet port of the column assembly prior to exposing the column assembly to steam for sterilization. 4. 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;wherein exposing the column assembly to steam includes exposing the column assembly to saturated steam under pressure. 5. 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;wherein providing the column assembly comprises providing a plurality of column assemblies and wherein positioning the column assembly and exposing the column assembly comprise positioning the plurality of column assemblies and exposing the plurality of column assemblies, respectively. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein exposing the plurality of column assemblies to steam for a single sterilization cycle results in an amount of liquid remaining in the plurality of column assemblies that varies by 5% or less (relative standard deviation). 7. The method of claim 5, wherein exposing the plurality of column assemblies to steam for two sterilization cycles results in an amount of liquid remaining in the plurality of column assemblies that varies by 15% or less (relative standard deviation). 8. 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,wherein the outlet port includes a needle structure and the vented outlet cover includes a pierceable membrane that receives the needle structure of the outlet port. 9. The column assembly of claim 8, wherein the outlet cover includes a body portion and a removable cap. 10. The column assembly of claim 9, wherein the vent opening is defined as an annular space between the removable cap and the body portion. 11. The column assembly of claim 10, further comprising:a bacteria retentive filter in the body portion. 12. 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,wherein the outlet port includes a needle structure and the vented outlet cover includes a pierceable membrane that receives the needle structure of the outlet port. 13. 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,wherein the means comprises a vent opening that provides fluid access to the column and that prevents the ingress of gravity-driven liquid. 14. The column assembly of claim 13, wherein the vent opening faces toward the column. 15. The column assembly of claim 13, wherein the outlet cover includes a body portion and a removable cap. 16. The column assembly of claim 13, wherein the vent opening is defined as an annular space between the removable cap and the body portion. 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 prevents migration of parent radionuclide away from the column,wherein the outlet port includes a needle structure and the vented outlet cover includes a pierceable membrane that receives the needle structure of the outlet port. 18. The column assembly of claim 17, wherein the outlet cover includes a body portion and a removable cap. 19. The column assembly of claim 18, wherein the vent opening is defined as an annular space between the removable cap and the body portion. 20. The column assembly of claim 19, further comprising:a bacteria retentive filter in the body portion.