Production of reactive fluorine-18

Production conditions are reviewed from the perspective of maximizing activity--both total and specific--of 18F as electrophilic or nucleophilic precursors, with minimal levels of interfering species. Careful target design can avoid many pitfalls, and telemetry of a few key variables can guide the way to reproducible yields, consistent with prediction. Whether this 18F is chemically reactive or refractory is determined by the care taken at each step, and dictates the final success of the labeling effort.