Abstract In this study, production cross–section calculations of 32P, 117Sn, 153Sm and 186,188Re radionuclides used in bone pain palliation treatment produced by 30Si(d,γ)32P, 118Sn(γ,n)117Sn, 116Sn(n,γ)117Sn, 150Nd(α,n)153Sm, 154Sm(n,2n)153Sm, 152Sm(n,γ)153Sm, 186W(d,2n)186Re, 187Re(γ,n)186Re, 185Re(n,γ)186Re and 187Re(n,γ)188Re reactions have been investigated in the different incident energy range of 0.003–34 MeV. Two-component exciton and generalised superfluid models of the TALYS 1.6 and exciton and generalised superfluid models of the EMPIRE 3.1 computer codes have been used to pre-equilibrium (PEQ) reaction calculations. The calculated production cross–section results have been compared with available experimental results existing in the experimental nuclear reaction database (EXFOR). Except the 118Sn(γ,n)117Sn, 150Nd(α,n)153Sm and 185Re(n,γ)186Re reactions, the two-component exciton model calculations of TALYS 1.6 code exhibit generally good agreement with the experimental measurements for all reactions used in this present study.