Plug-and-play modules for flexible radiosynthesis

Area of Science:

• Radiochemistry
• Nuclear Medicine
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Radiosynthesis is crucial for producing radiotracers used in medical imaging.
• Current radiosynthesis platforms can be inflexible and require complex setups.
• There is a need for adaptable and user-friendly radiosynthesis systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a versatile, modular, plug-and-play radiosynthesis platform.
• To demonstrate the system's capability to handle diverse radiosynthesis protocols.
• To enable semi-automated control of radiosynthesis through a unified software interface.

Main Methods:

• Designed modular subunits for reagent storage/delivery, evaporations/sealed reactions, and purification.
• Incorporated a robotic mechanism in the reaction module for high-pressure compatibility.
• Connected modules using fluidic connections and controlled the system via software.

Main Results:

• Successfully performed radiosyntheses of 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([(18)F]FDG), 1-[(18)F]fluoro-4-nitrobenzene ([(18)F]FNB), and 2'-deoxy-2'-[(18)F]fluoro-1-β-d-arabinofuranosyl cytosine (d-[(18)F]FAC).
• Demonstrated the platform's flexibility in handling different solvents and temperatures due to high-pressure capabilities.
• Validated the system's ease of configuration and semi-automated control.

Conclusions:

• The developed plug-and-play platform provides a flexible and versatile solution for radiosynthesis.
• The modular design and software control facilitate diverse radiotracer production.
• This system has the potential to streamline radiosynthesis workflows in research and clinical settings.