Radiotherapy and nuclear medicine basics: gallium-68 generator: practice question

A Radiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Radiology · Radiotherapy and nuclear medicine basics: gallium-68 generator

Sample item

A hospital without a cyclotron offers Ga-68 DOTATATE PET. How is the Ga-68 supplied?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. From a germanium-68 generator

Ga-68 has a half-life of about 68 minutes and is eluted from a germanium-68 generator, so a cyclotron is not needed on site. Mo-99 generators supply Tc-99m, and Sr-82 generators supply Rb-82.

Option by option

  • A. From a germanium-68 generator (correct)

    Correct. Ga-68 is eluted from a Ge-68 generator.

  • B. From a cyclotron irradiating oxygen-18 water

    Irradiating oxygen-18 water in a cyclotron produces F-18, not Ga-68.

  • C. From a molybdenum-99 generator

    A Mo-99 generator supplies Tc-99m for single-photon imaging.

  • D. From a strontium-82 generator

    A Sr-82 generator supplies Rb-82 for myocardial perfusion PET.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is A, From a germanium-68 generator. Ga-68 has a half-life of about 68 minutes and is eluted from a germanium-68 generator, so a cyclotron is not needed on site.

Why is "From a cyclotron irradiating oxygen-18 water" not the answer?

Irradiating oxygen-18 water in a cyclotron produces F-18, not Ga-68.

Why is "From a molybdenum-99 generator" not the answer?

A Mo-99 generator supplies Tc-99m for single-photon imaging.

Why is "From a strontium-82 generator" not the answer?

A Sr-82 generator supplies Rb-82 for myocardial perfusion PET.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Radiotherapy and nuclear medicine basics: gallium-68 generator in Radiology. Mo-99 generators supply Tc-99m, and Sr-82 generators supply Rb-82.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Radiotherapy and nuclear medicine basics: gallium-68 generator?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.