Quantification of Kryptofix 2.2.2 in [18F]fluorine-labelled radiopharmaceuticals by rapid-resolution liquid chromatography.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The cryptand Kryptofix 2.2.2 is used extensively as a phase-transfer reagent in the preparation of [18F]fluoride-labelled radiopharmaceuticals. However, it has considerable acute toxicity. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a method for rapid (within 1 min), specific and sensitive quantification of Kryptofix 2.2.2 at trace levels. METHODS: Chromatographic separations were carried out by rapid-resolution liquid chromatography (Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 rapid-resolution column, 2.1 × 30 mm, 3.5 µm). Tandem mass spectra were acquired using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization interface. Quantitative mass spectrometric analysis was conducted in positive ion mode and multiple reaction monitoring mode for the m/z 377.3 → 114.1 transition for Kryptofix 2.2.2. The external standard method was used for quantification. RESULTS: The method met the precision and efficiency requirements for PET radiopharmaceuticals, providing satisfactory results for specificity, matrix effect, stability, linearity (0.5-100 ng/ml, r(2)=0.9975), precision (coefficient of variation < 5%), accuracy (relative error < ± 3%), sensitivity (lower limit of quantification=0.5 ng) and detection time (<1 min). Fluorodeoxyglucose (n=6) was analysed, and the Kryptofix 2.2.2 content was found to be well below the maximum permissible levels approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. CONCLUSION: The developed method has a short analysis time (<1 min) and high sensitivity (lower limit of quantification=0.5 ng/ml) and can be successfully applied to rapid quantification of Kryptofix 2.2.2 at trace levels in fluorodeoxyglucose. This method could also be applied to other [18F]fluorine-labelled radiopharmaceuticals that use Kryptofix 2.2.2 as a phase-transfer reagent.

Fully automated one-pot synthesis of [18F]fluoromisonidazole.

A (18)F-labeled fluoromisonidazole (1H-1-(3-[(18)F]fluoro-2-hydroxypropyl)-2-nitroimidazole, [(18)F]FMISO) was prepared via a one-pot, two-step synthesis procedure using a modified commercial Tracerlab FX(F-N) synthesis module. Nucleophilic fluorination of the precursor molecule 1-(2'-nitro-1'-imidazolyl)-2-O-tetrahydropyranyl-3-O-toluenesulphonylpropanediol using no-carrier-added [(18)F]fluoride, followed by hydrolysis of the protecting group with 1 mol/L HCl and purification with Sep-Paks instead of HPLC, gave [(18)F]FMISO. The overall radiochemical yield with no decay correction was greater than 40%, the whole synthesis time was less than 40 min and the radiochemical purity was greater than 95%. The new automated synthesis procedure can be applied to the fully automated synthesis of [(18)F]FMISO using a commercial FDG synthesis module.

Radiation dosimetry of O-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-L-tyrosine as oncologic PET tracer based on the mice distribution data.

The absorbed and effective radiation doses resulting from the intravenous administration of the potential tumor-imaging PET radiopharmaceutical O-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-L-tyrosine (FPT) were estimated using biodistribution data from normal mice. The computer program 3P97 and the methodology recommended by MIRD were used to estimate the doses. The highest uptake of FPT was found in the urinary bladder and pancreas, followed by the liver and kidneys. The urinary bladder wall received the highest absorbed dose of 101.0 microGy/MBq for a 70-kg standard man. The brain received the lowest dose, 6.5 microGy/MBq. Other organs received doses in the range of 6.5-37.5 microGy/MBq. The effective dose was 18.2 microSv/MBq. The data show that a 370-MBq (10 mCi) injection of FPT would lead to an estimated effective dose of 6.7 mSv, which is in the accepted range of routine nuclear medicine investigations.

Synthesis and evaluation of O-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-L-tyrosine as an oncologic PET tracer.

O-(3-[(18)F]fluoropropyl)-L-tyrosine (FPT), an analogue of O-(2-[(18)F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) as an amino acid tracer for tumor imaging with positron emission tomography (PET), was synthesized and evaluated. FPT was prepared by [(18)F]fluoropropylation of L-tyrosine in a two-step procedure. Biodistribution of FPT was determined in normal mice. FPT, FET and [(18)F]fluorine-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) uptake studies were performed in mice bearing S18 fibrosarcoma and S. aureus-inoculated mice. Also, carcinoma-bearing mice and S. aureus-inoculated mice were imaged using FPT PET imaging compared with FET and FDG PET imaging. Synthesis of FPT was accomplished in about 60 min with an overall radiochemical yield of 25-30% (without decay correction) by manual operation. High uptake and long retention time of FPT and FET in kidney, liver, lung, blood, etc., and low uptake in brain were found. Furthermore, high FPT, FET and FDG uptake in tumor, and almost no FPT and FET uptake in inflammatory tissue, in contrast, high FDG uptake in inflammatory tissue, were observed. In conclusion, FPT is easy to prepare and superior to FDG in the differentiation of tumor and inflammation, and seems to be a potential amino acid tracer like FET for tumors imaging with PET.

Fully automated synthesis module for preparation of S-(2-[(18)F]fluoroethyl)-L-methionine by direct nucleophilic exchange on a quaternary 4-aminopyridinium resin.

A fully automated preparation of S-(2-[(18)F]fluoroethyl)-L-methionine (FEMET), an amino acid tracer for tumor imaging with positron emission tomography, is described. [(18)F]F(-) was produced via nuclear reaction (18)O(p,n) [(18)F] at PETtrace Cyclotron. Direction nucleophilic fluorination reaction of [(18)F]fluoride with 1,2-di(4-methylphenylsulfonyloxy)ethane on a quaternary 4-(4-methylpiperidinyl)pyridinium functionalized polystyrene anion exchange resin gave 2-[(18)F]-1-(4-methylphenyl-sulfonyloxy)ethane, and then [(18)F]fluoroalkylation of L-homocysteine thiolactone with 2-[(18)F]-1-(4-methylphenylsulfonyloxy)ethane yielded FEMET. The overall radiochemical yield with no decay correction was about 10%, the whole synthesis time was about 52 min, and the radiochemical purity was above 95%.

Fully automated synthesis of O-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-L-tyrosine by direct nucleophilic exchange on a quaternary 4-aminopyridinium resin.

A fully automated synthesis of O-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-L-tyrosine (FPT), an amino acid tracer for tumor imaging with positron emission tomography, is described. FPT was prepared by a two-step reaction sequence. Direct nucleophilic fluorination substitution of [18F]fluoride with 1,3-di(4-methylphenylsulfonyloxy)propane on a quaternary 4-(4-methylpiperidinyl)pyridinium functionalized polystyrene anion exchange resin, followed by [18F]fluoro-1-(4-methylphenylsulfonyloxy)propane yielded FPT. The overall radiochemical yield with no decay correction was about 12%; the whole synthesis time was about 52 min, and the radiochemical purity was above 95%.

Pharmacokinetics and radiation dosimetry estimation of O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine as oncologic PET tracer.

An easy-to-automate synthetic procedure and the kinetics and radiation dosimetry of O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET), a recently developed amino acid tracer with potential applications in tumor imaging with PET, are described. FET was prepared in high radiochemical yield, 20-25% with no decay correction, and radiochemical purity of more than 95% in less than 60min synthesis time by a modified two-step procedure and manual operation. The kinetics and radiation dosimetry of FET were evaluated by using mice biodistribution data and the medical internal radiation dosimetry (MIRD) method. The bone (total) was the organ receiving the highest dose, 4.78x10(-3)mGy/MBq, and the brain and the whole body received the lowest dose, 1.6x10(-3)mGy/MBq, respectively. The effective dose was 9.0x10(-3)mSv/MBq. The data show that a 370-MBq (10mCi) injection of FET leads to an estimated effective dose of 3.3mSv and an estimated dose to the whole body of 0.6mGy. The potential radiation risks associated with this study are well within accepted limits.

[Synthesis and radiopharmacology of S-(2-18F-fluoroethyl)-L-methionine for tumor imaging].

AIM: To develop S-(2-18F-fluoroethyl)-L-methionine (18FEMET) as an amino acid positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for tumors, and to evaluate the value of 18FEMET in the differentiation of experimental tumor and experimental inflammation. METHODS: 18FEMET was prepared by nucleophilic fluorination reaction via a two-step procedure. Biodistribution of 18FEMET in normal mice, carcinoma-bearing mice and inflammatory mice, and 18FEMET PET imaging for carcinoma-bearing mice and inflammatory mice were performed compared with 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and O-(2-[18F] fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET). RESULTS: The overall radiochemical yield with no decay correction was 15%-25%, the whole synthesis time was about 70 min by manual operation, and the radiochemical purity was above 95%. High uptake and long retention of 18FEMET in pancreas, kidney, colon, liver and heart were observed. But low uptakes in brain and blood were found. Furthermore, high uptake of 18FEMET, FDG and FET in tumor, high uptake of FDG in inflammatory tissue, and almost no uptake of 18FEMET and FET in inflammatory tissue were also observed. CONCLUSION: 18FEMET is easy to prepare and can be used to differentiate between tumor and inflammatory tissue. It seems to be a potential amino acid tracer for tumors with PET imaging.