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Updated: May 17, 2026

Automation of a Positron-emission Tomography (PET) Radiotracer Synthesis Protocol for Clinical Production
Published on: October 26, 2018
Fully Automated Production of Multiple 11C-Labeled PET Tracers Using a Self-Cleaning TracerMaker Radiosynthesizer
Bao Hu1,2, Wenchao Qu1,2,3, Ramin Parsey1,2
1PET Research Core, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA.
Abstract:
The rapid translation of carbon-11 PET radiotracers into clinical and preclinical research requires automated synthesis modules capable of fast, reliable, and reproducible production. Here, we report the development and application of a fully automated TracerMaker radiosynthesizer for routine production of multiple 11C-labeled PET tracers at the PET Research Core, Stony Brook University. The system integrates automated Sep-Pak preconditioning, in-line sterile filter integrity testing, and a fully automated postproduction cleaning protocol that significantly reduces operator workload and radiation exposure. Using this module, three radiotracers with high clinical research interest, (E)-3-(6-methyl-pyridin-2-ylethynyl)-cyclohex-2-enone-O-11C-methyl-oxime ((E)-[11C]ABP688), 5-(4-(Methoxy-11C)phenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-1H-1,2,4-triazole ([11C]PS13), and 11C-labeled Pittsburgh Compound B ([11C]PiB) were successfully produced without hardware modification. The automated cleaning protocol enables rapid turnaround between runs and supports high-throughput sequential production. These results demonstrate that the TracerMaker module provides a robust, flexible, and cost-effective platform for the routine clinical production of carbon-11 radiopharmaceuticals.

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