Facilitating PET Imaging: Eco-Friendly Purification Using Solid-Phase Material for Labeling Metal-Based...

Radiopharmaceuticals rely on radioactive isotopes for diagnosis and therapy, particularly in positron emission tomography (PET), but removing excess radiometals to ensure biosafety and imaging quality is a time-consuming process that causes radiotracer decay, while organic eluents might cause health hazards. In this study, we present a solid-phase material, NOTA-resin, which enables efficient radiometal removal (clearance rate >97% in 4 min) in a single step, at room temperature, and without organic solvents. Furthermore, we have validated the practicability of NOTA-resin in tumor-bearing mice models, demonstrating its compatibility with commercial radiotracers without adverse effects on tumor targeting and PET imaging quality while significantly shortening processing times, saving resources, and reducing waste.