Fully automated synthesis of ¹¹C-acetate as tumor PET tracer by simple modified solid-phase extraction purification

Automated synthesis of (11)C-acetate ((11)C-AC) as the most commonly used radioactive fatty acid tracer is performed by a simple, rapid, and modified solid-phase extraction (SPE) purification.

Automated synthesis of (11)C-AC was implemented by carboxylation reaction of MeMgBr on a polyethylene Teflon loop ring with (11)C-CO2, followed by acidic hydrolysis with acid and SCX cartridge, and purification on SCX, AG11A8 and C18 SPE cartridges using a commercially available (11)C-tracer synthesizer. Quality control test and animals positron emission tomography (PET) imaging were also carried out.

A high and reproducible decay-uncorrected radiochemical yield of (41.0 ± 4.6)% (n=10) was obtained from (11)C-CO2 within the whole synthesis time about 8 min. The radiochemical purity of (11)C-AC was over 95% by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Quality control test and PET imaging showed that (11)C-AC injection produced by the simple SPE procedure was safe and efficient, and was in agreement with the current Chinese radiopharmaceutical quality control guidelines.

The novel, simple, and rapid method is readily adapted to the fully automated synthesis of (11)C-AC on several existing commercial synthesis module. The method can be used routinely to produce (11)C-AC for preclinical and clinical studies with PET imaging.