Research poster 48 x 48 - A

1
Transport lines as a source of 19F in production
of 18F-labelled radiopharmaceuticals
Johan Rajander1 Julian Grigg2 Nina Sarja1
Jussi Aromaa1 Stefan Johansson1 Olli Eskola3
Tapio Viljanen3 Esa Kokkomäki3 Sarita
Forsback3 Jörgen Bergman1,3 Sajinder Luthra2
Olof Solin1,3 1 Accelerator Laboratory, Turku PET
Centre, Åbo Akademi University, Åbo, Finland 2
GE Healthcare, Amersham, UK 3
Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory, Turku
PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
RESULTS
Transport lines between the 18O-H2O/18FF-
target and the synthesis device are a potential
source of 19F contamination in synthesis of
18F-labelled radio-pharmaceuticals. 18F was
produced from highly enriched 18O-H2O in a
niobium target chamber. The irradiated water,
containing 37 GBq (1 Ci) is transported
through either PEEK, PTFE, ETFE or PP tubes to
the hot cell where the synthesis device is
situated. The transport distance is 40 m.
19Ffluoride content and radioactivity of the
total water volume and sample volume is measured.
Synthesis of Fluciclatide is used as a model
synthesis to show the incorporation of 19F into
the synthesis end product. The use of
fluorinated polymers as material for the
transport line of 18Ffluorine-containing target
water affects the radiopharmaceutical quality,
i.e. specific radioactivity in a detrimental
manner.
Using PTFE and ETFE transport line tubing, a
clear elevation (approximately three times) of
Fluciclatide concentration was seen compared to
PEEK or PP lines (Figure 2). The water
transport is very similar for all four tubing
materials, the target water reaches the hotcell,
40 m away, after about 8 min (Figure 3).
Variable levels of stable 19Ffluorine-containing
products are observed from the production of
18Ffluorine-labelled radio-pharmaceuticals. In
practise this can be seen as a variability of the
specific radioactivity (SA) of these drugs,
occasionally resulting in even unacceptably low
SA. We have studied the role of materials used in
transport tubings on 19F content in irradiated
target water. Particular attention is directed to
non-fluorinated vs. fluorinated polymers as
tubing material 1-4.
REFERENCES

1. Fuchtner et al., (2008) Nuklearmedizin, 47
   116-9
2. Berridge et al., J Label Comp Radiopharm 2009,
   52, 543
3. Link et al., (2012), Proc 14th Int Workshop Targ,
   27
4. Solin et al. (1988), Appl Radiat Isot 39(10)
   1065-71.

Figure 1. Fastlab synthesizer with a balance
for measurements of incoming water, on top.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The 18O enriched water from Rotem Industries Ltd.
is irradiated in a niobium target chamber for
about 40 minutes with 40 µA under a pressure of
40 bar to give 37 GBq (1 Ci) 18F. The
irradiated water is transported 40 m to the hot
cells in 0.75 mm ID tubes. For the transport a
peristaltic pump with a flow rate of 5 ml/min is
used. Four different tubing material were
tested PEEK, PP, PTFE and ETFE. After the
transport the water, 2.2 mL target water 2.8 mL
DI water for rinsing the tube, is collected in a
vial before it goes into the synthesis device.
From the vial about 1 mL of the irradiated water
is taken for further measurements of 19F in the
incoming water and for activity determination
(Figure 1). The rest of the water, 4 mL, is
directed into the synthesis device, a GE FASTlab
synthesizer. Synthesis of Fluciclatide is used
as a model synthesis to show the incorporation of
19F into the synthesis end product. The water
transport through the tubings was monitored with
five gamma radiation detectors (large area
photodiodes) from D-Pace placed along the
transport line.
Figure 2. HPLC-analysis of Fluciclatide
concentration and SA when using various transport
tubing materials.
CONTACT Johan Rajander Turku PET
Centre Email johan.rajander_at_abo.fi Website
www.turkupetcentre.fi
Figure 3. The transport line from the cyclotron
target to the synthesis device with the
radiation detectors placements (up) and the
respective detectors response (down).