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The RS 2000·Q2 Biological Irradiator
The industry standard for Small Animal irradiation.
The RS 2000·Q2 Biological Irradiator is an advanced solution for cancer, immunology, and a wide range of research applications. Powered by our proprietary QUASTAR 2 X-ray platform, it outperforms other biological irradiators with its superior symmetry, flatness, penetration, and dose uniformity. Delivering effective energy comparable to 320 kV point source tubes, the RS 2000·Q2 operates on a standard 120V outlet and does not require an external chiller. Optional RADPlus™ Research Tools further enhance dose uniformity, operational efficiency, and animal comfort.
See The RS 2000·Q2 In Action
New Era of Innovation:
Designed for Life Science Applications
Discover the RS 2000·Q2, designed for advanced research in small animal, stem cell, and cancer studies. Powered by our 4th generation QUASTAR 2 X-ray platform, it delivers superior performance and ease of use. Watch the video to see how it enhances lab efficiency with RADPlus™ tools and mobility.
Available Components & Accessories
Features and Specifications
Multi-level Chamber Exposure System with Guides
- The exposure chamber incorporates a multi level manually adjustable shelf for flexible specimen placement
- Concentric circles on the aluminum shelf correspond to the size of the radiation field at a corresponding height
RADPlus Solutions
- Engineered to optimize dose rate and dose uniformity
- Proprietary material developed for animal comfort and safety
- Irradiating small animals in their cages reduces cross-contamination and provides a less stressful environment
No Radioactive Source – No Ongoing Regulatory Hassles
- Direct Replacement for Nuclear Source Irradiators
- Considered “substantially equivalent” to Cesium-137 gamma irradiators
- Meets all safety requirements specified in Fed. Reg. 21 CFR 1020.40
- No Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) License is required
- No nuclear disposal requirements
- No additional security requirements for nuclear equipment
- No additional safety equipment for laboratory staff
Onboard Cooling System
No external water source/connection or drain hook-up is needed – allows for convenient facilities placement of instruments for increase workflow efficiency.
Instrument Portability
Mounted on sturdy castor wheels for convenient portability for flexible placement improving sample workflow efficiency.
One Day Plug & Play Installation
No water or drain connection to the facility is needed resulting in improved workflow efficiency and flexible unit placement.
Proven Reliability
For over 20 years and greater than 1000 irradiator installs in renowned hospitals, universities, pharma, government and life science institutions worldwide, Rad Source is considered a leading manufacturer of reliable X-ray solutions and trusted services.
CIRP – The U.S. Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project
The Department of Energy has spearheaded the CIRP (Cesium Irradiator Replacement Program) which is a subsidizing initiative created to replace gamma isotope-source (Cesium-137 based) irradiators in the US.
Qualified sites will receive:
- Removal and disposal of the Cesium-137 irradiator, saving the site approximately $100–$200k per irradiator
- A limited payment of up to 50% of the purchase price toward a purchase of the new x-ray replacement device
EQUIPMENT DIMENSIONS (W x D x H)
43” x 36″ x 75″ | 109.2 x 91.4 x 190.5 cm
CLEARANCE DIMENSIONS (W x D x H)
48″ x 40″ x 76″ | 121.9 x 101.6 x 193 cm
EQUIPMENT WEIGHT
2750 lbs. | 1247 kg
Electrical Requirements For Power
104-120V Single-phase, 50/60Hz, 20A, True Earth Ground. Instrument Wiring: 10 AWG L1, L2/N.
Dose Rate (GY/MIN) USA (FDA)
Dose rates for Research Tools
RADPlus Shelf: 1.5 Gy/min. | Flatness: 80%
RADPlus Rectangle: 1.0 Gy/min. | Flatness: 95%
RADPlus Round: 1.3 Gy/min. | Flatness: 95%
RADPlus Petri Dish: 2.0 Gy/min. | Flatness: 95%
Dose rates for cells
Filtered: 5–10 Gy/min.
Unfiltered: Up to >17 Gy/min.
Dose rates for Small Animals w/ RADPlus is ~1.2 Gy/min (120 rads/min or same as gamma)
Dose Uniformity Ratio (DUR) w/ RADPlus
95% and up
INSTALLATION
- For the installation, the RS 2000 Q2 will arrive at your facility in the morning and will be met by our installation professionals
- All irradiators receive a full quality inspection, dose mapping, and radiation survey prior to shipment and again at installation
- On-site Training Included at installation
Water Requirements
31 gallons of distilled water for the irradiator’s internal water tank.
Cooling Requirements:
Not Required
WARRANTY INFORMATION
- 12-month full warranty, including all parts, labor, and travel
- Service Agreement Program: Available for purchase anytime within 12 months from date of installation
– Includes ALL parts, labor, travel and one PM call per annum
- All Rad Source irradiators receive a quality inspection, dose map, and radiation survey prior to shipment and again at installation
- All Rad Source irradiators are manufactured as cabinet x-ray devices and conform to the radiation safety guidelines in US CFR 1020.40 for safe use.
- All Rad Source irradiators are manufactured as cabinet x-ray devices and conform to the radiation safety guidelines in US CDFR 21 Chapter 1, Subchapter J
Contact Our Experts
Product Literature
The RS 2000 Q2 Series Small Animal Irradiator Brochures
Well Plate Holder
Vial Holder
Round
Rectangle
Petri Dish Holder
Aluminum Shelf
FAQs
ARE THERE ANY FLOOR LOADING ISSUES WHEN PLACING THE RS 2000 IN THE FACILITY?
No, the RS 2000 is mounted on wheels and weighs less than 1500 lbs.
DO I NEED A LEAD-LINED ROOM OR SECURE ACCESS FOR THE RS 2000?
- No, the RS 2000 is completely self-shielded, needs no additional precautions, and is key-operated for user security.
- Background scatter is lower than Federal and State guidelines.
HOW DO X-RAY IRRADIATOR DOSE RATES COMPARE TO GAMMA IRRADIATOR DOSE RATES?
- The RS 2000 was designed as a direct replacement for Cesium 137 research irradiators.
- The initial dose rate is set at approximately 1.5 Gy/min (varies minimally per unit). This dose rate will not vary over time, whereas a gamma source begins to decay from the date of creation and thus requires recalculation of time frequently.
- The RS 2000 also allows the user to vary dose rate electronically or by varying “source to object distance” but remains constant unless changed by the user.
HOW DO YOU VALIDATE THE DOSE RATE OF THE RS 2000?
- Before shipment from the factory and again at the time of installation, we use a Rad Cal Real-Time In-Chamber dosimeter that is certified annually to NIST Standards.
- We recommend that each institution also purchase one of these devices, which is completely independent of the RS 2000, for quick and easy QC validation. It takes less than 5 minutes to validate a dose rate.
- The Rad Cal Accu-Dose is also ideal for targeted tumor work or knowing exactly the dose rate to a specific target area.
HOW IS THE RS 2000 X-RAY IRRADIATOR DOSE RATES COMPARE TO GAMMA IRRADIATOR?
- Both use photons as an irradiation source, creating ionizing radiation.
- The energy of both is energy per unit volume with 1 Gy from gamma equal to 1 Gy from X-ray.
IS A NUCLEAR SITE LICENSE OR RADIATION SAFETY OFFICER REQUIRED?
No, the RS 2000 is licensed as a cabinet x-ray system and complies with CFR 21.1020.40 for x-ray devices. The x-ray tube is licensed with the appropriate state agencies, just like any x-ray source.
IS THE RS 2000 A DIRECT REPLACEMENT FOR GAMMA IRRADIATOR?
- Yes, X-rays from the RS 2000 produce equivalent doses in density one products such as cells and small animals.
- The energy of the photons is lower; therefore, the X-ray beam must be filtered correctly to shape the beam to produce equivalent depth uniformity.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE RS 2000 & OTHER IRRADIATORS?
- The ease of use is the biggest advantage: simple product placement for dose rate, enter the appropriate time, and press start.
- Only the RS 2000 has the patented RADPlus chamber to allow and guarantee a 95% dose uniformity for whole-body irradiation.
- Only the RS 2000 has backscatter reduction to eliminate the lower energy photons from bouncing back into the animals’ gut, thus causing inconsistent dose-response curves.
WHAT DOES CDRH STAND FOR?
- CDRH stands for the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). Performance Standards for Ionizing Radiation Emitting Products can be found at CDRH 21CFR1020.40.
WHAT IS THE DOSE UNIFORMITY OF THE RS 2000 BIOLOGICAL IRRADIATOR & HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO A GAMMA IRRADIATOR?
- Each RS 2000 is calibrated at the factory for maximum uniformity and has 95%, or better uniformity, for an area of 7” x 11” (typical rearing cage) at 1 Gy per minute.
WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE IRRADIATION FIELD IN THE RS 2000 SMALL ANIMAL BIOLOGICAL IRRADIATOR?
- The radiation plane is in a cone-shaped irradiation field and can be set at various levels from 12.39 cm (4.88”) to 35.50 cm (13.98”).
WHAT VARIABLE DOSE RATES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE RS 2000?
- The RS 2000 is capable of very low dose rates down to 11 cGy/min all the way up to over 15 Gy/min unfiltered.
WHY DOESN’T RAD SOURCE MANUFACTURE A 320 KV IRRADIATOR FOR LAB RESEARCH?
- The RS 2000 has specialty biological irradiator that can produce up to 1 MegaRad per hour. (That is >150 Gy/min).
- The RS 2000 was designed and validated for the Biological Research market’s typical applications: small animals, cell, and tissue work.
- The beam profile (proprietary tube and filtering) of the RS 2000 is “Substantially equivalent to Cesium” for density one products.
- The RS 2000 has been successfully used for over 15 years by 160+ acclaimed research laboratories, hospitals, and universities around the globe.
- Higher kV (speed or penetration of the photons) will result in MUCH lower mA (number of photons to act on the product).
- Watts must equal kV x mA, so if you go up in kV, the mA drops dramatically.
- Example: 160 kV x 25 mA = 4 kW. For 320 kV at 4 kW = 12.5 mA x 320 kV.
- That is 50% fewer photons to produce the relative biological effect on the cells.
- High kV is great if you are irradiating engine blocks but not for small animals and cell work.
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