Development of an economical method to synthesize O-(2-[18 F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (18 FFET)

J Labelled Comp Radiopharm. 2023 Sep;66(11):345-352. doi: 10.1002/jlcr.4052. Epub 2023 Jul 6.

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) using O-(2-[18 F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine ([18 F]FET) has shown great success in differentiating tumor recurrence from necrosis. In this study, we are reporting the experience of synthesis [18 F]FET by varying the concentration of TET precursor in different chemistry modules. TET precursor (2-10 mg) was used for the synthesis of [18 F]FET in an automated (MX Tracerlab) module (n = 6) and semiautomated (FX2N Tracerlab) module (n = 19). The quality control was performed for all the preparations. For human imaging, 220 ± 50 MBq of [18 F]FET was briefly injected into the patient to acquire PET-MR images. The radiochemical purity was greater than 95% for the final product in both modules. The decay corrected average yield was 10.7 ± 4.7% (10 mg, n = 3) and 8.2 ± 2.6% (2 mg, n = 3) with automated chemistry module and 36.7 ± 7.3% (8-10 mg, n = 12), 26.4 ± 3.1% (5-7 mg, n = 4), and 35.1 ± 3.8% (2-4 mg, n = 3) with semiautomated chemistry modules. The PET imaging showed uptake at the lesion site (SUVmax = 7.5 ± 2.6) and concordance with the MR image. The [18 F]FET was produced with a higher radiochemical yield with 2.0 mg of the precursor with substantial yield and is suitable for brain tumor imaging.

Keywords: FET; PET imaging; radioactivity; synthesis modules.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Transport
  • Brain Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / methods
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Tyrosine*

Substances

  • Tyrosine
  • Radiopharmaceuticals