New method for producing PET radiotracers in higher radiochemical yields

ANSTO researchers have led the development of a new method for producing PET radiotracers. The discovery utilises the transition metal rhenium to promote fluorine-18 radiolabelling under aqueous, low temperature conditions.

The method circumvents the need for dry conditions, and purification steps, which saves time and gives PET radiotracers in very high yields.

Fluorine-18, the most commonly used radioisotope in PET imaging, must be attached to vectors in order to diagnose disease. The best example is where fluorine-18 is attached to glucose in order to make [18F]FDG for cancer imaging.

This new method has the potential to improve production of PET radiotracers like FDG, but also facilitate development of new radiotracers by allowing previously challenging vectors to be radiolabelled in high yields under mild conditions.

Because a radiotracer decays, radio-synthesis needs to be performed quickly, efficiently and in high yield, so there is enough radiotracer to scan all patients at a PET medical centre.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-04-method-pet-radiotracers-higher-radiochemical.html

Source: Physics.org