HK1131924B - Medical unit for the collection, calibration, dilution and/or injection of an injectable radioactive product - Google Patents

Description

Medical unit for the extraction, calibration, dilution and/or injection of an injectable radioactive product

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the general field of nuclear medicine, and more particularly to a medical unit for extracting, calibrating/calibrating, diluting and/or injecting radioactive substances for injection into a patient.

Background

Certain radioactive materials are particularly useful as contrast agents or therapeutic agents in the medical field, for example, during imaging procedures.

In order to limit the radiation dose received by the patient and the personnel responsible for the operation, medical radioelements with short half-lives, i.e. radioactive products whose emitted radiation levels decrease rapidly over time, are used.

However, for such short half-life radioactive products, it is difficult to administer an appropriate dose to a patient. The corresponding dose must be very precise; the time required for preparing the dose to be injected must be taken into account, as well as the possible time between the moment of preparing the medicament and the moment of injecting the medicament into the patient.

Furthermore, in addition to the type of product employed (short half-life), another limitation that should be considered is the radioprotection of the medical personnel responsible for the preparation of the radiopharmaceutical and for the injection of the drug into the patient. This radiation protection must also be effective for the patient.

In a conventional manner, the dose to be injected is drawn into a syringe provided with a suitable shield and placed itself in a shielded sheath equipped with suitable measuring and control means enabling the extraction of the targeted dose of radioactive product. The operator then picks up the shielded syringe and reaches the patient for injection.

However, this method of execution does not provide optimal safety in terms of operator radiation protection and dose accuracy for injection into the patient.

Document US-6767319 describes a device for calibration and injection of radioactive products with the aim of limiting the exposure of personnel to radioactive substances and of optimising the safety of the patient.

The corresponding device includes three separate radiation protective sheaths, each radiation protective sheath including:

-means for supporting a source of injectable radioactive product,

-means for supporting the syringe, provided with means for automatically operating the pusher of the syringe and associated with means of the actinometer (activimeter) type for measuring in real time the radioactivity of the radioisotope of the product contained in the syringe, and

-a valve system.

The valve system is hydraulically connected by tubing to a sheath containing a radioactive parent source, to a sheath containing a syringe, to a source of saline solution, and to an injection catheter to be connected to the patient.

The device further comprises means for actuating said valve system and means for operating the syringe pusher to ensure that at a first time a dose of the radioactive product and/or the saline solution is withdrawn into the syringe and at a second time the withdrawn radioactive product and/or the saline solution is injected through the injection catheter. The dose of radioactive product is measured by the dosimeter device during the extraction into the syringe.

In this device, the tubing connecting the sheath housing the valve system and the sheath housing the syringe or radioactive source is unprotected and becomes the source of the radiation emitted to the environment.

Furthermore, the device is bulky due to its structure. Moreover, the complexity of the pipe network leads to the occurrence of severe dead space (dead volume).

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a new type of medical unit of very compact size for calibration and injection of radioactive products, which enables the extraction, measurement and injection of the products with high precision, complete safety and with reduced dead space.

Medical units of this type comprise:

-means for supporting a container made of radiation-shielding material, in which a source or generator of an injectable radioactive product is housed,

-means for supporting a syringe provided with a pusher,

-a device of the type of a radioactive measuring instrument for measuring in real time the radioactivity of the radioactive isotope of the content of the syringe, and

-a tubing system associated with at least one valve for hydraulically connecting said radioactive source, said syringe, a source of physiological saline solution, and an injection catheter to be connected to the patient,

wherein the valve and the syringe pusher can be operated so as to ensure, on the one hand, the aspiration of the radioactive product or the saline solution into the syringe and, on the other hand, the injection of the radioactive product, the saline solution or the mixture of the two previously aspirated into the syringe through the injection catheter, the syringe drawing and the injected dose of radioactive product being measured by the dosimeter.

According to the invention, the medical unit further comprises a shielding sheath made of at least one radiation-shielding material, which houses therein the radioactive source support, at least part of the means for supporting the syringe, the activity meter, the valve and at least part of the tubing.

Further, the syringe support, valve and radioactive source support are vertically disposed relative to each other from top to bottom, respectively, the syringe support being configured to vertically carry a syringe with the plunger oriented upwardly.

This particular arrangement enables the extraction/injection syringe and the radioactive product source to have access to the valve, which provides a unit of very compact dimensions, with minimal dead space.

According to an embodiment feature, the valve is a three-way valve comprising:

an upper channel for connection to a syringe for drawing and injection,

-a lower channel for connection to a source of injectable radioactive product, an

A lateral channel for connection to a first conduit connected to a source of physiological saline solution and to a second conduit connected to an injection catheter, said conduits being each equipped with a suitably oriented check valve.

In this case, the radiometer advantageously has a substantially tubular shape defining a central well for housing the vertical axis of the syringe, said radiometer being provided with two openings, an upper opening and a lower opening, said lower opening being oriented opposite the three-way valve and the radioactive source support.

In order to reduce the dead space in the duct of this device, the upper passage of the valve to be connected to the syringe advantageously comprises a tight membrane seal to be pierced by the needle fitted to said syringe mounted on the support; similarly, the lower passage of the valve for connection to the radioactive product source advantageously extends out of a needle for piercing the membrane seal closing the vial containing the radioactive source.

According to a further embodiment characteristic of the invention, the support of the radioactive source and of the syringe is carried by means ensuring the movement of the source and of the syringe, respectively, along a vertical or substantially vertical axis between:

a first position in which the operator can mount the radioactive source and the syringe on the respective support or, conversely, remove them from the support, and

-a second position in which the radiation source and the syringe are connected to the valve.

According to this feature, the means for moving the syringe support advantageously enable the syringe support to be moved vertically through the aperture provided in the shielding sheath between:

-an upper mounting/removal position in which the support is at least partially outside the sheath, an

-a lower connection position, wherein the syringe is positioned within the central recess of the dosimeter and connected to the valve.

Furthermore, the radioactive source support is advantageously movable within the shielding sheath between an installation/removal position and a connection position; the sheath is also provided with a frontal flap so that the operator can reach the radioactive source support at least when it is in the mounting/removal position.

According to another feature, the medical unit comprises computer and/or electronic control means able to actuate the valves and the means for operating the pusher of the syringe in order to perform the extraction and injection operations of the syringe. Similarly, the computer/electronic control means are also able to drive means for moving the syringe support and the radioactive source support.

In this case, the means for operating the syringe pusher are advantageously of the disengageable gearmotor type controlled by computer/electronic means, so as to ensure, on the one hand, the automatic withdrawal of a determined dose of radioactive product into the syringe and, on the other hand, the automatic or manual injection of this dose into the patient. Indeed, if the operator wishes, he/she can disengage the gearmotor device and manually control the injection of the radiopharmaceutical into the patient.

According to another particularly advantageous embodiment, the jacket comprises three sub-jackets arranged vertically with respect to one another, namely:

-an upper sub-sheath housing the syringe and the dosimeter,

-an intermediate sub-sheath housing the valve, and

-a lower sub-sheath containing a radioactive product source.

These sub-jackets are connected together two by two via through openings through which some hydraulic connection pipes pass.

In order to further optimize the processing of the medical data, the computer/electronic control device is provided with a connector for transmitting and/or receiving data, in particular for exchanging with a computer server.

The medical unit according to the invention may be arranged to be movable. For this purpose, it is advantageously mounted on a motor-driven wheel; it may incorporate a geographical positioning system of the GPS type, for example.

Drawings

The invention will be further illustrated, without limitation, by the description of specific embodiments that are given by way of example only and that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a medical unit according to the invention;

figure 2 is a perspective view of the external structure of one possible embodiment of the medical unit shown in figure 1.

Detailed Description

As shown in fig. 1, a medical unit 1 according to the invention comprises a shielding sheath 2 made of radiation-shielding material, in which a device 3 for measuring in real time the radioactivity of a radioisotope (an ACAD type (registered trademark) radiometer) is placed, the sheath 2 being substantially cylindrical with a vertical axis and being provided with an upper opening 4 and a lower opening 5.

A conventional syringe 6 is mounted in the measuring well 3' of the dosimeter 3 (and connected to a suitable processing unit), the conventional syringe 6 comprising a body 7, a pusher 8 and a needle 9; the syringe 6 is mounted vertically on an upper support 10 with the pusher 8 oriented upwards and the needle 9 oriented downwards.

A source or generator 11 of radioactive product is placed below the dosimeter 3, opposite the lower opening 5 of the dosimeter 3. The source 11 of radioactive product is contained in a vial which is confined within a shielded container 12 made of a radiation-shielding material. The shield container 12 is accommodated in the shield sheath 2 and placed on the support 13.

A motor-driven three-way valve 15 housed in the shielding sheath 2 and located between the syringe 6 and the vial of radioactive source 11 ensures a suitable hydraulic connection between said syringe 6, said vial of radioactive source 11, a bag 16 of physiological saline solution (external to the shielding sheath 2) and a catheter 17 for injection to the patient (also external to the shielding sheath 2). The valve 15 is arranged opposite the lower opening 5 of the dosimeter 3 and opposite the radioactive source 11.

The upper passage 18 of this three-way valve 15 comprises a tight membrane seal to be pierced by the needle 9 of the syringe 6. The lower passage 19 of the valve 15 extends out of the needle 20 to pierce the tight membrane seal 21 of the vial enclosing the radioactive source 11. The side channel 22 of said valve 15 is connected by means of a Y-connector to a tube 23 leading to the saline solution bag 16 and to a tube 24 leading to the injection catheter 17. The tube 23 is fitted with a check valve 25 that prevents the return of fluid to the saline solution bag 16. The tube 24 is also fitted with a check valve 26 that forces the liquid to flow toward the patient.

In fig. 1 it can be seen that the catheter 17 is also in communication with a second saline solution bag 27 via a tube 28 and a Y-connector 29.

The three-way valve 15 has two main positions: a first position, in which the upper channel 18 and the lower channel 19 are in communication (which enables the syringe 6 to be placed in communication with the source 11 of radioactive product to ensure the extraction of a dose of radioactive product into the syringe body 7), and a second position, in which the upper channel 18 and the side channel 22 are in communication (either the suction of a physiological saline solution from the bag 16 into the syringe body 7 during the suction operation of the syringe 6, or the injection of the liquid contained in the syringe body 7 into the injection duct 17 by the expulsion operation of the syringe body 7).

A third possible position of the valve 15 consists in placing the radioactive element source 11 in communication with the tubes 23 and 24 to break the vacuum inside the vial of radioactive source 11, while allowing the saline solution to be sucked from the bag 16.

A three-way valve 15 is fixed inside the casing 2 and is located on a vertical or substantially vertical axis passing through the syringe 6 and the source 11 of radioactive product.

Under the action of suitable mechanical means (not shown either) actuated by hand (or by foot) or by motor means (not shown), the support 13 of the source 11 of radioactive product can be moved in a vertical direction according to the directional arrow 30, so as to be able to introduce the needle 20 into the vial of radioactive sources 11 or to withdraw the needle 20 from said vial.

When the operator wants to replace the radioactive product source, he or she operates the movable support 13 in the above-mentioned "extracted" position.

On the other hand, under the action of suitable mechanical means (also not shown), actuated by hand or by motor means (not shown), the support 10 of said syringe 6 is also movable in a vertical direction according to the directional arrow 31, so as to be able to introduce the needle 9 of the syringe 6 into the three-way valve 15 or to withdraw the syringe 6 above the radiometer 3 and outside the shielded container 2, for the mounting and removal of the syringe 6.

The support 10 of the syringe 6 is also arranged to allow the syringe plunger 8 to be operated from the outside of the shielded container 2 when said syringe 6 is located centrally in the measuring well 3' of the dosimeter 3.

To this end, said support 10 comprises a cylindrical portion 32 which engages the rear of the syringe body 7, and a central portion 33, which central portion 33 is in the form of a pusher which slides into the cylindrical portion 32 and engages the rear of the syringe pusher 8.

The upper end of the sliding pusher 33 is accessible from outside the shielded container 2 when the syringe body 7 is in position inside the measuring well 3' of the dosimeter 3. The upper end of this pusher 33 is associated with a disengageable motor system 34, which motor system 34 enables automatic operation of the syringe pusher 8 when engaged and manual operation of this pusher 8 when disengaged.

This enables, among other things, the operator to choose between automatic and manual management of: the radioactive product is withdrawn by the syringe 6 and/or injected into the catheter 17.

It can be noted in fig. 1 that a solenoid pinch valve 35 is positioned in the tube 23 of the saline solution bag 16. The function of this solenoid valve 35 is to prevent untimely circulation of the saline solution in the tube 23 before the injection catheter 17 is connected to the patient.

It may also be noted that on the feeding tube 24 of the duct 17 there are two anti-foaming/anti-bacterial devices 36, for example in the form of filters, to ensure the sterility of the injection process.

It can also be seen in fig. 1 that the shielding sheath 2 takes the form of three shielding subassemblies:

the first assembly 2a incorporates the radioactivity meter 3 and a portion of the syringe support 10,

the second subassembly 2b encloses a motor-driven three-way valve 15, and

the third subassembly 2c surrounds the movable support 13 with the shielding container 12.

The three sub-sheaths 2a, 2b, 2c are superimposed; the syringe 6 and the valve 15 are connected by means of an opening 37 provided between said subassemblies 2a and 2 b. The valve 15 and the radioactive product source 11 are connected by an opening 38 provided between the subassemblies 2b and 2 c.

The support 10 of the syringe 6 is made of a radiation-shielding material. Which is sized to fit maximally within an opening 39 provided in the upper portion of the subassembly 2a so as to provide shielding continuity in the lowered position (i.e. when the syringe 6 is centrally located within the measurement well 3' of the dosimeter 3).

The shielding sheath 2 also comprises openings suitable for the passage of the tubes 23 and 24, said tubes 23 and 24 being connected to the saline solution bag 16 and the catheter 17, respectively.

The main steps performed in the medical unit 1 for preparing a determined dose of radioactive product and then injecting it into a patient will be described in detail below.

First, the dose of radioactive product to be injected into the patient is prepared in the syringe 6.

For this purpose, the syringe 6 (with the pusher 8 in the lower position) and the radioactive product source 11 are connected to a three-way valve 15; the valve 15 is then actuated so that its upper passage 18 and lower passage 19 are hydraulically connected, which enables the needle 9 of the syringe to communicate with the radioactive product source 11.

The syringe pusher 8 is then operated upwards to draw into the syringe body 7 the desired dose of radioactive product, which is measured in real time by the dosimeter 3. This dose depends inter alia on the body weight of the patient.

The medicament prepared in the syringe may then be applied to the patient.

To this end, the valve 15 is actuated again so that its upper channel 18 and the side channel 22 are placed in communication with the needle 9 of the syringe and with the tubes 23, 24 (connected to the saline solution bag 16 and to the injection catheter 17), respectively.

Prior to the injection phase, the syringe plunger 8 can be driven (upwards) to draw a supplementary volume of saline solution from the bag 16, if required; the volume of saline solution enables the radioactive product to be diluted and also to obtain a sufficient injection volume.

The syringe 6 is then discharged by appropriate movement (downwards) of the syringe plunger 8. The radioactive product, possibly diluted with a supplementary volume of physiological saline solution, travels through the tube 24, is filtered by the device 36 at this tube 24, and then reaches the patient along the injection catheter 17.

After this injection phase, the operator can perform a supplementary phase for flushing the syringe body 7, the valve 15 and the downstream conduits 17, 24 with a volume of saline solution suitable for ensuring that the entire radiation dose required is administered to the patient.

For this purpose, the syringe plunger 8 is continuously subjected to a suction operation (upwards) to draw a determined volume of physiological saline solution from the bag 16, and then to an injection operation (downwards) to inject this volume of solution through the duct 24 and the injection conduit 17.

When the operator wants to replace the syringe 6 or the radioactive product source 11, he or she only has to operate the respective support structure 10 and 13. In addition, the syringe 6 and valve 15 may be replaced in a different manner after each injection. The syringe 6 on the one hand, and the valve 15 with needle 20 and tubing 23, 24, the saline solution bag 16 and the catheter 17 on the other hand, form a single-use sterile assembly that can be easily replaced after each use.

The different above-described cycles of extraction, dilution and injection of the device are managed by a computer and/or electronic control device of the programmable controller type, which is able to automatically drive in a suitable manner the operating means 34 of the syringe plunger 8 and the three-way valve 15.

All of these cycles can be fully automated. Due to the disengagement means of the gearmotor 34, the injection of the radiopharmaceutical can also be performed manually to the patient, as required or at the operator's will.

A particularly advantageous form of the medical unit schematically shown in fig. 1 is shown in fig. 2.

In fig. 2, the shielding cage 2, which incorporates all the above-mentioned functional components, is mounted on a frame provided with four wheels 40. Preferably, at least some of the wheels 40 are associated with a motor system that provides a simple motion assist, or that itself ensures autonomous movement of the mobile unit and is remotely driven by a suitable joystick control unit.

The mobile unit 1 can also incorporate a geographic positioning system, for example of the GPS type, in order to continuously know its remote position inside the building.

It can be noted that in the lower part of the jacket 2 there is a shielding shutter 41, which shutter 41 provides access to the inside of the sub-jacket 2c in order to mount/remove the shielding container 12 enclosing the radioactive product source 11 on/from the support 13 (in particular when this support 13 is in the low mounting/removal position).

Visible on the upper part are the syringe support 10, the saline solution bag 16 suspended on the support 42, and a touch screen control and display panel 43, which touch screen control and display panel 43 incorporates or is directly associated with (e.g. transferred into the cell frame) a circulating tube management programmable controller. The control, dialog and display panel 43 enable calibration operations (radiometry) to be performed and the various phases of transfer preparation (dilution.) and injection of the radioactive product to be observed in real time.

The corresponding computer and/or electronic control means are provided with a connector 44 for sending and/or receiving data, in particular some exchange (for example over an intranet or internet) with a computer server located nearby or remotely, this being used in particular for performing remote maintenance and collecting data relating to the patient (in particular data necessary for determining the dose of radioactive elements that has to be applied to the patient).

The frame of the unit 1 also carries its own power supply, for example of the rechargeable battery type, ensuring the supply of electric power, in particular for the motor-driven wheels 40 and the computer and/or electronic control means.

Such a shielding mobile unit 1 constitutes a stand-alone unit capable of calibrating and injecting any radioactive product, in particular FDG. The unit is very compact in size, due to the superposition of the radiometer, the three-way valve and the source of radioactive products on the same vertical axis or substantially on the same vertical axis, and also due to the superposition of the sub-sheaths 2a, 2b and 2 c. This unit enables extraction, measurement and injection operations to be carried out with absolute safety.

Claims (14)

1. A medical unit for extracting, calibrating, diluting and/or injecting a radioactive product capable of being injected into a patient, said unit (1) comprising at least:

-a support (13) for supporting a container (12) made of a radiation-shielding material in which a source of an injectable radioactive product or a generator (11) of an injectable radioactive product is contained,

-a support (10) for supporting a syringe (6) provided with a pusher (8),

-a radioactivity meter (3) for measuring in real time the radioactivity of the radioactive isotope of the contents of the syringe (6), and

-a tubing (9, 20, 23, 24) associated with at least one three-way valve (15) for hydraulically connecting the source of radioactive product (11), the injector (6), the source of physiological saline solution (16) and an injection conduit (17), the injection conduit (17) being intended to be connected to a patient,

the three-way valve (15) comprises:

-an upper channel (18) for connection to a syringe (6) for extraction and injection,

-a lower channel (19) for connection to a source (11) of an injectable radioactive product, and

-a lateral channel (22) provided with a Y-connector for connection to a first conduit (23) connected to a source (16) of physiological saline solution and to a second conduit (24) connected to an injection catheter (17), said second conduit (24) being equipped with a suitably oriented non-return valve (26),

wherein the three-way valve (15) and the pusher (8) of the syringe are operable to ensure, on the one hand, the aspiration of the radioactive product or the saline solution into the syringe (6) and, on the other hand, the injection of the radioactive product, the saline solution or the mixture of the two previously aspirated into the syringe (6) through the injection conduit (17), the dose of radioactive product withdrawn and injected by the syringe (6) being measured by the dosimeter (3),

the medical unit also comprises a shielding sheath (2) made of at least one radioprotective material, in which shielding sheath (2) the support (13) of the source (11) of radioactive product, at least part of the means (10) for supporting a syringe (6), the dosimeter (3), the three-way valve (15), and at least part of the tubing (9, 20, 23, 24) are housed; it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

a support (10) of the syringe, said three-way valve (15) and said support (13) of the source (11) of radioactive product being vertically arranged with respect to each other from the top towards the bottom, respectively, said support (10) of the syringe being arranged to carry said syringe (6) with the pusher (8) oriented upwards,

the three-way valve (15) is fixedly mounted inside the sheath (2) and is located on a vertical or substantially vertical axis passing through the syringe (6) and the source (11) of radioactive product, wherein the upper channel (18) of the three-way valve (15) faces the syringe (6), the lower channel (19) faces the source (11) side of the radioactive product, and the side channel (22) is oriented laterally, the three-way valve (15) being arranged to have two main positions:

-a first position in which the upper channel (18) and the lower channel (19) are in communication to ensure the extraction of a dose of radioactive product into the syringe body (7), and

-a second position in which the upper channel (18) and the lateral channel (22) are in communication so as to draw the physiological saline solution from the source (16) of physiological saline solution into the syringe body (7) during the suction operation of the syringe (6) or to inject the liquid contained in the syringe body (7) into the injection duct (17) by the discharge operation of the syringe body (7),

and said first conduit (23) connected to the source (16) of physiological saline solution is equipped with a non-return valve (25) preventing the return of the liquid to the source (16) of physiological saline solution.

2. The medical unit according to claim 1, wherein the dosimeter (3) is substantially tubular, defining a central well (3') for housing the vertical axis of a syringe (6), the dosimeter (3) being provided with two openings, an upper opening (4) and a lower opening (5), the lower opening (5) being oriented opposite a three-way valve (15) and a support (13) of a source (11) of radioactive product.

3. The medical unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the supports (13, 10) for the source (11) of radioactive product and the syringe (6) are carried by means ensuring the movement of the source (11) of radioactive product and the syringe (6), respectively, along a vertical or substantially vertical axis between:

-a first position in which the operator can mount the source (11) of radioactive product and the syringe (6) on the respective supports (13, 10) or, conversely, remove them therefrom, and

-a second position in which the source (11) of radioactive product and the syringe (6) are connected to a three-way valve (15),

the upper channel (18) of the three-way valve (15) for connection to the injector (6) comprises a tight membrane seal to be pierced by a first needle (9) fitted on said injector (6),

a lower channel (19) of a three-way valve (15) for connection to a source (11) of injectable radioactive product extends out of a second needle (20), this second needle (20) being intended to pierce a membrane seal (21) closing a vial containing the source (11) of radioactive product.

4. Medical unit according to claim 3, wherein the means for moving the syringe support (10) enable the syringe support to travel vertically through an aperture (39) provided in the shielding sheath (2) between:

-an upper mounting/removal position, in which the support (10) is at least partially outside the jacket (2), and

-a lower connection position, in which the injector (6) is positioned inside the central well (3') of the dosimeter (3) and is connected to a three-way valve (15).

5. The medical unit according to claim 4, wherein the support (13) of the source (11) of radioactive product is moved inside the shielding enclosure (2) between an installation/removal position and a connection position, the enclosure (2) being further provided with a front movable door (41) to enable an operator to reach the support (13) of the source (11) of radioactive product at least when the support (13) of the source (11) of radioactive product is in the installation/removal position.

6. The medical unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises a computer and/or electronic control device able to drive said three-way valve (15) and means (33, 34) for operating the syringe pusher (8) in order to perform the extraction and injection operations of the syringe (6), and also able to drive means for moving the syringe support (10) and the source of injectable radioactive product or the support (13) of the generator of injectable radioactive product.

7. The medical unit according to claim 6, wherein the means for operating the pusher (8) of the syringe (6) are a disengageable gear motor (34) controlled by computer/electronic control means, so as to ensure, on the one hand, the automatic extraction of a determined dose of radioactive product into the syringe (6) and, on the other hand, the automatic or manual injection of this dose into the patient.

8. The medical unit according to claim 4, wherein the sheath (2) comprises three sub-sheaths (2a, 2b, 2c) arranged vertically with respect to each other, namely: -an upper sub-jacket (2a) housing the syringe (6) and the dosimeter (3), -an intermediate sub-jacket (2b) housing the valve (15), and-a lower sub-jacket (2c) housing the source (11) of radioactive product, these sub-jackets (2a, 2b, 2c) being connected together two by two via through openings (37, 38) through which some hydraulic connection conduits (9, 20) pass.

9. Medical unit according to claim 6, wherein the computer/electronic control means is provided with a connector (44) for transmitting and/or receiving data.

10. Medical unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is mounted on movable wheels (40) and can incorporate a geolocation system.

11. The medical unit of claim 9, wherein the data is for exchange with a computer server.

12. The medical unit according to claim 10, characterized in that said geographic positioning system is of the GPS type.

13. Disposable sterile assembly for a medical unit according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises at least one three-way valve (15), said three-way valve (15) comprising: -a channel (18) for connection to a syringe (6) for extraction and injection, said channel (18) comprising a tight membrane seal to be pierced by a first needle (9) fitted on said syringe (6), -a channel (19) for connection to a source (11) of injectable radioactive product, said channel (19) extending out of a second needle (20), this second needle (20) being intended to pierce a membrane seal (21) closing a vial containing said source (11) of radioactive product, and-a side channel (22) provided with a Y-connector for connection to two liquid conduits (23, 24).

14. A disposable sterile assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises a syringe (6) for extraction and injection, and two liquid conduits (23, 24) for connection to a Y-connector, each provided with a suitably oriented check valve (25, 26).