Patent Number: 061920959
Section: claims

1. A process of preparing a .sup.133 Xe radioactive stent to be placed within a blood vessel for preventing restenosis of the blood vessel by retarding the growth of smooth muscles by means of .beta.-rays and internal conversion electrons emitted from .sup.133 Xe, the process comprising: generating a gaseous nuclear fission product of .sup.133 Xe by nuclear fission in a .sup.235 U target in fuel rods in a nuclear reactor upon irradiation of .sup.235 U with neutrons;  flowing the gaseous .sup.133 Xe fission product into a Xe purifier;  supplying .sup.133 Xe from the Xe purifier into an ion source to ionize the .sup.133 Xe and yield an ion beam of .sup.133 Xe; and  introducing the ion beam into an irradiating unit to irradiate stents positioned on a vertically moveable rotating table and to uniformly inject .sup.133 Xe into the surface of the stents.