Radiolabelling diverse positron emission tomography (PET) tracers using a single digital microfluidic reactor chip

Area of Science:

• Radiochemistry
• Microfluidics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Radiotracer development for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging is crucial for in vivo biological studies.
• Limited availability of synthesized radiotracers restricts the scope of research.
• Microfluidic technology offers a promising solution for efficient radiotracer synthesis due to minimal material requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) digital microfluidic chip for synthesizing diverse (18)F-labeled radiotracers.
• To demonstrate the chip's capability in producing tracers for various biological targets.

Main Methods:

• Design and fabrication of a novel EWOD microfluidic chip with multifunctional electrodes for heating, sensing, and actuation.
• Demonstration of key synthesis steps: fluoride ion concentration, solvent exchange, and chemical reactions.
• Synthesis and characterization of four distinct (18)F-labeled radiotracers (sugar, nucleoside, protein labeling compound, neurotransmitter).

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of four different (18)F-labeled radiotracers using the EWOD microfluidic chip.
• Achieved high fluorination efficiencies ranging from 90-95%.
• Demonstrated comparability or superiority to conventional radiotracer synthesis methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed EWOD microfluidic chip is effective for synthesizing a variety of (18)F-labeled radiotracers.
• This technology can significantly expand the accessibility of PET imaging tracers for biological research.
• Microfluidic synthesis offers a viable and efficient alternative to traditional methods for radiotracer production.